How much effect it ultimately will have I'm not in a position to say, but it's a heap of bad press for the Sarkozy camp, who has to play defense. The more dents in his armor the better, I say. Now, if this dust-up pushes the debate towards Sarkozy's rather unhealthy relationship with the media, even better, but I don't expect the media to be criticizing themselves.
"Stalinist tactics" sounds like a quasi-Godwin moment to me, but it might be par for the course.

"The basis of optimism is sheer terror" - Oscar Wilde

I don't know about affecting, but effecting it will not.

"It's the statue, man, The Statue."

I have provided a link to the article, put some of the text in a blockquote and cut the rest.

It is really bad form to copy and past full articles; the usual blogging practice is to provide a link, a reasonable extract (a few paragraphs) clearly identified as such, and whatever commentary or questions you may have.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

it definitely will affect the election. Thanks to her move (proposing a meeting/debate with Bayrou), Royal took the initiative in the campaign, which was seldom the case during the campaign for the first round. And the momentum is on Royal's side.

True or not (I should say direct or indirect...), attempts by Sarkozy's team to pressurise the media illustrate what many people fear from Sarkozy. In fact, it is exactly the reason Bayrou gives for not voting Sarkozy...

It seems a lot of young people who voted Bayrou are considering voting Royal.

Will it be enough? Times will tell...

"Dieu se rit des hommes qui se plaignent des conséquences alors qu'ils en chérissent les causes" Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet

Ipsos.fr - Présidentielle 2007 - dernières tendances au 27 avril

Dans l'ensemble, les reports de voix extrême-gauche/PC/Verts restent largement favorables à S. Royal (59%, contre 34% de non exprimés et 7% vers Nicolas Sarkozy). Presque symétriquement, le candidat UMP capte 57% de l'électorat de JM. Le Pen (27% de non exprimés, 16% vers S. Royal).
* Les électeurs de F. Bayrou sont en revanche partagés : 34% pensent voter S. Royal, 28% N. Sarkozy (38% de non exprimés).

Overall, Sarko dropped 1% to 53% vs. 47% Royal.

_{*Lunatic*, n.
One whose delusions are out of fashion.}