French Socialists withdraw in 2 regions to block far-right

Marine Le Pen’s National Front won more votes than mainstream rivals in the first round of regional elections at the weekend. The breakthrough marks a shake-up of the country’s political landscape before the 2017 presidential elections, with the FN coming out top in six out of 13 regions.

The last opinion poll on Friday by Ipsos-Sopra said the FN would take the largest slice of the vote – 29.5 percent – followed by a mix of right-wing and centrist parties on 28.5 percent and the ruling Socialists on 23 percent. In the current atmosphere of insecurity and rising unemployment, Le Pen says she predicted numerous problems besetting the country today, as did her father, former National Front leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. Experts widely considered its performances, particularly under Jean-Marie Le Pen, as a way to punish mainstream parties.

Le Pen’s party also won more than 40 percent of the vote in the southeastern region of Provence-Alpes-Cote-d’Azur. The older Le Pen, whose disparaging remarks against Jews, Muslims, and other minorities has led to his conviction on charges of racism or anti-Semitism at least six times, lost badly to Jacques Chirac in the second round.

Analysts predict the FN could take all three regions in the second round on December 13 – if traditional parties refuse to join forces against them.

Speaking to The Financial Times, James Shields, professor of French politics at Aston University said “These results are a shock but they shouldn’t be a surprise”. The Socialists, who finished third, said they will pull their candidates from two key regions to encourage tactical voting against the National Front.

The polls were held under tight security following France’s worst-ever terror attacks, which have thrust the FN’s anti-immigration and often Islamophobic message to the fore.

He pointed out that though fears of terrorism played a part in motivating voters to cast their ballot for the hardline anti-immigrant party, the National Front has been gaining ground for four years, fueled by concerns over economic and social issues.

In Nord-Pas-de-Calais (North), where party leader Marine Le Pen is leading the FN list, it got 40.6 percent of votes, 16 percent ahead of the candidate in second place. The party also placed first in last year’s elections in France for the European Parliament, gaining 25 percent of the vote.

“I believe that the National Front’s incredible results are the revolt of the people against the elite”, she said Monday on RTL radio.

A win for either by a party long seen as a pariah would be unprecedented in France.

Any party which secures 10 per cent backing in the first round has the right to present candidates in the second round, due next Sunday.