As you have probably heard in the news, France is now engaged in a big political campaign for the new presidency.

This usually means two things. Firstly, the decisions taken by central government and the public authorities are going to be fewer and fewer in order to ensure that the soon-to-vote citizen isn’t swayed from putting their cross in the right box. Secondly, a flurry of candidates is going to make their once-a-term visit to the various parts of the national economic and social network.

Rungis is no exception. Recently, almost without warning, current home secretary and right-wing candidate Nicolas Sarkozy paid a visit to the market in the small hours. His intent was to meet “those who get up early to work” and so he passed through the different market sectors, from seafood to fresh produce.

The candidate couldn’t miss his target: if, as he suggested, he wanted to meet people who really know what it is to wake up early to work, food wholesalers must be top of the hit-list. Some days later Paris mayor, Bertrand Delanoë - supporting the socialist candidate Ségolène Royal, by the way - was also walking the market halls, but he emphasised his visit was purely continuing the relationship he had built up during previous visits.

As sure as chocolate eggs are oeufs au chocolat, between now and Easter, the other candidates will not miss the opportunity to shake the tenants by the hand.

Rungis market has gone through important changes in the last few years: not only technically speaking, but also because of the revamping of its status. Under this presidential term, the State has partly withdrawn from the capital of the authority. The question that remains is: who is going to be the new shareholder?

The buzz is sometimes deafening. Some say a bank could take the role. Companies specialising in managing commercial malls could also be interested. The game remains extremely open. But there is a virtual deadline: the election of the new president of the French Republic.

Whoever wins, the regrettable tradition in French political life is to stop, change, modify, cancel or simply forget what has gone before.

Let’s hope this will not be the case this time. The capacity of the market to develop its activity in the country and abroad or to remain as a reference point for the wholesale market community relies heavily on clear-cut ownership and capital input.