Blame Brussels for French apathy?

Analysts say the EU may be responsible for voters' view that there's little difference between Jospin and Chirac

PARIS, France (CNN) -- The front-runners in the French election may be from opposing parties, but voters see little difference in their proposals.

Political analysts say this "extreme" middle ground is mainly a result of a stronger European Union -- one which sets interest rates and controls national budgets.

With an abstention rate expected to reach record levels for a presidential race, analysts say Brussels is partly to blame for the French voters' lack of interest.

"You are voting for people who have by essence a limited sovereignty and a limited margin of manoeuvre on your own fate and on your own life," says political analyst Dominique Moisi.

EXTRA INFORMATION In-depth: France Decides 2002     QUICKVOTE Who would you like to see as president? Incumbent Jacques Chirac Socialist PM Lionel Jospin One of the other candidates View Results

EU membership also means competing directly with other members for economic growth and investment euros.

That competition also reduces social and economic options for politicians in France, where many taxes are already Europe's highest.

"If tomorrow the behaviour of Germany, Italy or Spain changes ... if one of these countries decide to cut the level of taxes, very likely France will have to follow," says Credit Lyonnais chief economist Herve Goulletquer.

There is also no longer major debate on the role of government.

Capitalism and the open market are now the only accepted form of economic structure -- not only in France, but across Western Europe.

"In fact you have neither pure market on the right, nor pure social classical democracy on the left," says Moisi. "It's in between. The differences exist, but they are more matters of nuance."

The French daily Le Monde illustrated that idea with a composite photo of both front-runners, conservative incumbent Jacques Chirac and Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin.

Election watchers say that as the mainstream left and right come together, Europeans are starting to vote more like Americans: for a person instead of a party.

So the man -- or the woman -- with the most charisma, they say, could have a definite advantage in the next elections.