Pollster projections put far right National Front in lead of French regional

Far right National Front party regional leader for southeastern France, Marion Marechal-Le Pen speaks during a meeting with supporters, after the first round of the regional elections, in Carpentras, southern France, Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015.

Run-offs will be held on Dec.13, with the FN well-placed to win one or more regions.

Sarkozy’s conservative Republicans party and their allies came second in the overall national vote, at just under 27 percent, behind the far-right National Front but ahead of the Socialists at 22.7 percent, according to an interim count of the votes.

Nicolas Sarkozy, eager to distance himself both from the Socialists and the National Front, ruled out such a move for his party’s candidates who came third, sparking divisions inside his own ranks, according to Le Parisien.

The vote may reshape the political landscape, making the 2017 presidential polls a three-way race after decades of domination by the Socialists and conservatives.

Speaking after the estimates, Sarkozy again refused to consider any tie-up with the Socialists in order to beat the FN in the second round on December 13.

Hollande’s Socialist Party, which now runs almost all of France’s regions, has seen its electoral support shrivel as the government has failed to shrink 10 percent joblessness or invigorate the economy. Le Pen takes a tough stance on extremism and immigration, with many describing her as racist and Islamophobic.

The FN’s rise in popularity, which pundits claim is party a result of the Paris terrorist attacks last month, has raised concerns about the homophobic and anti-Semitic views that are mainstream in the party.

“After the November 13 attacks we saw a clear increase in support for the National Front”, Ifop pollster analyst Jerome Fourquet said.

“We went as far as we could”, a party leader said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

“There is too big of a risk of victory for the National Front for us to keep our candidates in this region”, said lawmaker Bruno Le Roux, who is the Socialists’ leader in the lower house of parliament.

“I believe the incredible results of the National Front amounts to the revolt of the people against the elite”, Le Pen said Monday on RTL radio.

Five years ago the party received about 11 percent of the popular vote in regional elections.

A total of 21,456 candidates represented in 171 lists are competing for seats in councils of 13 French regions to manage mainly local transport, education and unemployment.