The attack took place in the southern town of Millau

The announcement by the prosecutor in the southern city of Montpellier is technically the end of the line.

He said Bove's sentence would have to be served after the second round of voting in the election, due to be held on 5 May.

"There is a very special context of the presidential election," said the chief prosecutor for Montpellier's appeals court, Paul-Louis Aumeras.

"This context leads me to arrange the imprisonment of Jose Bove after the second round at a date that we will fix in consultation with him."

Amnesty possible

There has been speculation in France that a new president might decide to grant an amnesty to Bove as part of a traditional bout of post-election generosity to voters.

The beneficiaries are usually motorists who have committed traffic offences.

Bove attacked the McDonalds restaurant, which was under construction in the town of Millau, in a protest against US taxes on local Roquefort cheese.

The destroyed McDonalds was rebuilt

He tried to avoid criminal charges, claiming that his act was a legitimate political protest, but finally received the jail sentence.

Even if he does finally go to jail, the time served could be as little as one month, because of time already spent under arrest, and a potential reduction for good behaviour.

There had been speculation that jailing Bove before the election could have influenced voters, although the two front runners, Lionel Jospin and Jacques Chirac, have stayed out of the row.

"There is no way that the judicial institution is going to foul the electoral scene," said Mr Aumeras, making his announcement.

He also played down the idea of an amnesty, which is traditionally granted by new presidents to those who have committed minor offences.

After the Millau attack, Bove became a figurehead for a campaign against globalisation.

He has also campaigned against genetically modified crops, and most recently was expelled from Israel after joining besieged Palestinians in Ramallah.