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Based on new data from French electoral party platforms between 1981 and 2007, this paper develops an original interpretation of the French electoral competition. Rather than focusing on the study of cleavages and alignments, we understand the political game in terms of attention to various election issues, starting with the conventional assumption of issue ownership . We confront the latter with the assumption of issue uptake . This better reflects, we contend, the dynamics of issue competition, particularly in the French case. Our results illustrate the importance of analyzing the French electoral competition through the lens of issue competition and provide a new perspective on the dynamics of issue competition issues bet- ween French parties.
