[Translator's note]
During the elective periods when either the French President, the French Parliament, the French Senate or the French regional or local authorities are renewed, April offers through its "Candidats.fr" initiative the possibility to candidates to sign a statement indicating that they intend to defend and promote Free Software. In light of this experience, April has decided to extend this initiative and offer to individuals (as opposed to candidates) to sign a statement indicating that they use Free Software, in order to demonstrate their support for this cause.
Free Software users, both individuals and organizations, are invited to sign the declaration of use [5] asking that the rights of developers and users of Free Software be taken into account by the lawmakers, and that public authorities encourage the public use, production, and dissemination of Free Software.
This declaration of use was first proposed at the launch of Candidats.fr in 2007, and it remains valid.
If you have not already done so, please sign the declaration of use of Free Software [5] and invite your friends, colleagues, ... to sign it as well. No need to only use Free Software to sign this declaration. Over 16,000 people and over 400 organizations have already signed it.
If you are a candidate in the French local elections, you can also sign the Free Software Pact [6]
to mark your commitment towards Free Software.