The Economist: Terror in France has Marine Le Pen on the verge of a big victory
Successive crises in Europe have played straight into the hands of France's far right
WAR and terror shatter morale. But times of national stress also tend to reward incumbents. Like George Bush after September 11th, France’s president, François Hollande, has enjoyed a spectacular poll bounce since the Paris terrorist attacks on November 13th. Previously, he held the record for the worst presidential approval ratings under the French Fifth Republic. Now, Mr Hollande’s ratings have leapt by 20-22 percentage points, returning for the first time to the level he enjoyed shortly after his election in 2012.
The first real post-terror test of French public opinion, however, will take place on December 6th, the first stage of a two-round election for regional governments. Polls suggest that first-round bragging rights will belong not to Mr Hollande or his Socialist Party, nor even to the centre-right opposition, but to Marine Le Pen, the leader of the far-right National Front (FN). She is standing for election as president of Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie, a region in northern France of 6m people.
WNU Editor: Living in the Canadian French province of Quebec I have gotten to know many French nationals who have immigrated here over the years. All of them are young, and all of them left France not because of Greece, terrorism, and refugees (as the Economist is touting in the above post) .... but because of economics and the inability as entrepreneurs to get ahead in France. It is the economy that is really freaking out everyone in France .... terrorism and refugees is just the icing on the cake. My prediction .... the French far right will lose in the second round of voting, but with the mainstream parties unable (and unwilling) to change course, it will not surprise me if in 2 to 4 years Marine Le Pen and her allies will win .... and win big with over 50% of the vote .... and it will be the dismal economy that will propel them to victory.
More News On France's Regional Elections
Marine Le Pen and her niece set to lead far-right into new territory -- AFP
French far-right tipped to triumph in post-attacks regional vote -- AFP
Front National: Marine Le Pen and Marion Maréchal-Le Pen expect electoral breakthrough for France’s far-right -- The Independent
Back to Reality for Hollande as Voters Flock to Le Pen Message -- Bloomberg
The far right in France is poised for its biggest victory yet -- Business Insider
1 comment:
Wow your prediction about the second round was right, will be interesting to see the after effects. I still think there is hope for FN though I am unsure of what the presidential election will bring, though I think FN will grow even more since the tactic of tactical voting has happened before, in for example Sweden where the far right party there is growing steadily, after it was blocked by the other parties.
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