Presidential campaigns all have their share of emblematic moments that change the course of the race, be they breathtaking instant game-changers or incidents that seem decisive only in hindsight. With French voters set to elect a president in April, FRANCE 24 takes a look back at some of the key moments from campaigns past. In the spotlight: The deadly shooting rampage in Toulouse and Montauban that brought the 2012 presidential campaign to a temporary halt.
With just over a month to go before the first round of France's 2012 presidential election, a horrific killing spree rocked the country to its core. The first Islamist terrorist attacks on French soil since 1995 brought the race to a standstill, with top candidates taking the unprecedented step of suspending their presidential campaigns. The surreal truce coincided with the dramatic pursuit of a killer and the laying to rest of his seven victims. A photograph of a palette of solemn presidential candidates, left to far right, mourning side-by-side on March 21, 2012, remains stark visual evidence of an unprecedented political hiatus.
