Result reflects Europe-wide shift to the right [The Financial Times on Le Pen]

The Financial Times ^ | April 21, 2002 | Richard Wolffe in Washington, James Blitz in Rome, Haig Simonian in Berlin, L. Crawford in Madrid

[rightwing2]

BUMP!

[Joe Boucher]

summer, I don't think the folks in france have been scared enough yet to reverse the immigration policy they and we have. Once they do become engaged it will be too late.

[McGavin999]

Everything I hear on t.v. is that the guy is an anti-semite.

Well, now that's the problem. We don't know what to believe about this guy. It could well be that the guy is just trying to get the country to look seriously at the immigration problems and is being demonized by the socialist press. We don't know. Too bad we don't have any French posters who could let us in on what this guy really stands for.

Calling him a nazi could be the equal of calling W a cowboy. Look at how they demonize our president.

[FITZ]

So which is it, anti-semite or anti-arab?

Someone could be both ---which is why it's important for the Jews to have their own state. With all the Muslims taking over France, the Jews there aren't safe at all. They're safer if the Muslims don't take over Europe.

[FITZ]

We don't know what to believe about this guy.

The media is using the term "far right extremist" but they use that to describe anyone against abortion or against global government. So far I just read he's against the Muslim take-over of France and for that he's a far right extremist.

[evaporation-plus]

I don't understand this comment at all. If Europe moved right, it would be more like the US

Mabye Europe is starting to see the problems with
open borders like ours.......

[quebecois]

"everything I hear on tv is that this guy is an anti-semite"

Le Pen has been consistent in his struggle against immigration policies that have decimated France's cities and threatened to render the French people a minority in their own country (with arabs in the majority)

Unfortunately, French Jewish organizations have traditionally been teeming with liberals who have painted him as a "right wing, racist, blah blah". This has created bad blood between the two.

But, now that the immigrants have been torching synagogues and beating up jews...I think that many French jews are coming around to see Le Pen's point.

Also, Le Pen had his early life experiences fighting in Algeria against the islamic nationalists there. The folks in Algeria who supported him were the 10% of the pop who were French and/or Jewish. They fought shoulder to shoulder against the islamists, and all fled to France after Algerian independence. These folks know up close and personal what life under islam is like.....and generally have a more favorable opinion of Le Pen.

[Dan from Michigan]

I know a little about Euro politics, but not that much.

What is 'the right' in European politics?
By "Media definitions', the right in the US includes everything from Bush and John Engler(Mainstream GOP) to Pat Buchanan to the neocons(Murdoch/FOXNEWS), Reagan, Falwell, libertarians, militia, and Nazis(Which I consider left).

I SUSPECT the right in Europe is more like the Pat Buchanan Right than the Murdoch right.

[Torie]

The divides in Europe are about the same as here, except they are lighter on libertarian sentiments. Individualism and individuality is held in higher esteem in Anglo Saxon culture, and within that culture, held in highest esteem in the US. Nativism is more extant now in Euorpe, because it is less experienced in handling diversity, and under more stress.

[LarryLied]

Calling him a nazi could be the equal of calling W a cowboy. Look at how they demonize our president.

The ADL calls Le Pen's party racist, antisemitic, xenophobic, nationalistic and a threat to democracy. Mohamed Sid-Ahmed in Cairo thinks Le Pen is a neo Nazi.

The more I read from Jewish and Muslim extremists, the more Le Pen seems to be a middle of the road moderate. Hope France didn't make a mistake and got a guy in the running for President who is wishy-washy.

[Torie]

I don't think the French election was much about Kosovo, or Balkan policy in general. Not everything revolves around your obsessions.

[1234]

per a recent thread: FRANCE is "crawling w/ 5,000,000 arabs". this is approx. 11% of pop.. of course LE PEN's message has relevance-the country's society is being diluted for the worse, and the threat is ominous.

[Torie]

If France is falling apart with an 11% minority it is sort of like a ceramic: at once impereable and brittle.

[Great Dane]

But when the only options are the right and the extreme right, then something is very seriously wrong."

Boy, did he say a mouthful, took them long enough to realize the populations in Europe are fed up.

[In veno, veritas]

That was my first take. It makes me wonder what I'd hate to see as the extreme left.

[veronica]

Actually Mr. Lied, I just read an interesting piece from the British press. Mr. Le Pen is going after the Jewish vote. Seems he sympathizes with their plight at the hands of Muslims/Arabs who have been on the attack in France. Many are recent immigrants, as opposed to the Jews who have been there longer. Just as Liberal Jews here are having their monds changed by Bush, perhaps Jews in France, and here, will see Mr. Le Pen is a new light.

[Phillip Augustus]

The ADL doesn't like Le Pen? Perhaps they find the Muslims who are engaging to overt, violent acts of anti-Semetism more to their liking? No? Then they should shut up about Le Pen, as he will face this Muslim aggression with an iron fist.

[The Old Hoosier]

A lot of leftists will sit on their hands in the run-off. Some may even vote Le Pen in spite. But I think Chirac will still get 60 percent, at least.

[Great Dane]

I don't understand this comment at all. If Europe moved right, it would be more like the US.

That comment has me baffled as well.