NATIONAL FRONT SURGES IN FRENCH POLL

Independent (UK) ^ | 4-18-2002 | Mary Dejevsky

[blam]

Have the French finally had enough Muslim immigrants. There are five million there already, more than in the US.

[Clara Lou]

I'm trying to visualize a French "far right."

[Wonder Warthog]

"I'm trying to visualize a French "far right.""

Picture Ted Kennedy.

[Vast Buffalo Wing Conspiracy]

I'm trying to visualize a French "far right."

Why is it that when it comes to the French, so many Americans are so eager to publicize their ignorance? France has been split between a far left and far right since the French Revolution, at least.

[Republicus2001]

I think it's time to take a poll among the Democrats, Hollywood elite and the Big Lie Industry. Question: Should France be allowed to sell portable gas oven chambers to the Palestinians? The problem is if France cannot sell it's jumbo gas ovens, thousands of French will lose their jobs and recent progress in the EU will be lost. Write your representative today and demand that the French gas chamber embargo be lifted NOW!

[RightWhale]

"With Jean-Marie/we are carefree..."

It's not easy to translate a rhyme and have it still rhyme.

[Clara Lou]

I wonder if you could imagine that there are many people who don't spend their time studying French politics present or past? I am one of them. Can you handle that? Thanks goodness, though, we have a nice person like you to tell us about it.

[Joe Boucher]

Because it seems that the only thing one ever hears about the frence is socialist, whinning, or trying to bend the U.S. over. Many of us with our feet on the ground realize the french have an inferiority complex about belonging to a dieing culture. Far right french is what say a left of center Mass. liberal?

[SolitaryMan]

Considering the French government policies and their own rhetoric towards the US, it's hard to believe that they do have a right wing, or at least an effective one. Remember France's non-support for the strikes against Libya?

[aristeides]

Article doesn't mention Chévènement, the former leftist nonconformist who has now become an anti-immigrant populist and is also, I understand, doing quite well in the polls. Hmmm, 16% for Le Pen, 2% for Mégret, 15%, say, for Chévènement, that adds up to a lot of the votes. Maybe next time they can find some way to form a bloc, especially if this year is Le Pen's last run.

[Dales]

Well, you will have to pardon the confusion of some. It is hard to picture the great schism you portray when we see one of the supposed far right leaders saying "on economic policy, I'm on the left".

Damn, now I am in the mood for wings lol

[TheMole]

This guy is not an attractive character. He gets votes because the other politicans refuse to take serious positions on immigration and crime, both major (and related) problems in France. However, this guy actually is a racist and anti-Semite. That is to say, unlike American conservative politicians who uphold the principles of the U.S. Constitution and are slandered as racists for doing so, this guy actually does hate blacks, Arabs, and Jews. He also has no commitment whatsoever to free markets and less government. You may have noticed in the article he is quoted has saying that in economic policy, the Front Nationale is "on the left". He also is no friend of the United States or any other English-speaking countries. The only positives about him are (1) he's not a socialist (2) he's actually pretty straightforward about what he stands for, at least by the standards of politicians, (3) what he says about his opponents is basically true, and (4) most of the people who vote for him do so just to try to wake up the major parties.

[Jorge]

Why is it that when it comes to the French, so many Americans are so eager to publicize their ignorance?

Let me guess.
Is it because the little we know about the French...makes us not want to know anymore?

I'm am of French decent, but their national politics turn me off so much I ignore most things French as much as possible.

[Tokhtamish]

"With Jean-Marie/we are carefree..."

It's not easy to translate a rhyme and have it still rhyme

Avec Jean-Marie, nous sommes tres jolie, maybe ?

[Clara Lou]

Avec Jean-Marie, nous sommes tres jolie, maybe ?
Well, it rhymes, anyway. ;-)

[Nonstatist]

There is no "right" in French politics, at least with regard to economic conservatism. Theres the hard Nazis, the soft nazis (Le Pen), the Commie socialists, and the soft socialists. Thats it, pal.. (BTW, I miss those Buffalo wings, you cant get that special type of blue cheese anywhere else, can you?).

[cynicom]

The French far right sits in the left field bleachers.

[Phillip Augustus]

There is one other thing to like about him: he is committed to preservation of France as a French nation. And, how is he racist? He admits to loving Arabs- in Algeria. If he was racist, he would hate them, wherever they were.

[Phillip Augustus]

Within 25 years, one of three things will happen in France, in order of increasing probability:

1. Mainstream parties and politicians on both the right and left will adopt Le Pen's immigration platform, and ride it to success

2. Men such as Le Pen will achieve success.

3. France will become an Islamic state.

I do not particularly care for Le Pen's distaste for democracy or his authoritarian tendencies, and would prefer scenario 1 to scenario 2. But I would infinitely prefer scenario 2 to scenario 3, and this goes for all Western nations, not just France.

[RightWhale]

Avec Jean-Marie, nous sommes tres jolie.

Avec Jean-Marie c'est bien joli.