A SHOCK POLL FROM FRANCE

Marine Le Pen, a French existentialist.

by Daniel Barge

“Only 14% of people surveyed by Ifop, a leading market research company, said that they would vote for Hollande if the presidential elections were held this week, compared to 29% for Le Pen. 26% of respondents said they would vote for former president Nicolas Sarkozy if he were to be selected as the candidate for the UMP (Union for a Popular Movement) party. Sarkozy announced his intention to challenge Hollande for the presidency in the 2017 election in September.” Newsweek

FRENCH LESSONS

by Adrian Davies

Good news from France, as the Front National continues to make impressive progress in establishing itself as the new third force in French politics.

Less than two months before the European elections, in which the Front National is expected to run neck and neck with the establishment right UMP (Union pour un Mouvement Populaire), leaving the ruling Socialist Party (Parti Socialiste – PS) a poor third, the FN has taken control of twelve town halls under a voting system much less favourable to it than the system which will apply in the Euros on 25th May (France votes on a Sunday, as do most continental countries, who view our tradition of holding elections on a working day as eccentric!)