All posts tagged: Marine Le Pen

Hundreds arrested in Paris after football revelry turns ugly – POLITICO

Hundreds arrested in Paris after football revelry turns ugly – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said seven officers were injured in clashes across the country. He called the disorder “absolutely unacceptable.” Far-right leader Marine Le Pen wrote on X: “Only in France does a football club’s victory spark riots. Only in France does everyone feel compelled to lock themselves in their homes on the evening of a victory to avoid being confronted with violence,” she said. Valérie Pécresse, leader of the Île-de-France region, which includes Paris, called for sanctions against those causing violence. “The brainless thugs who think they can smash everything are tarnishing the image of Paris and France!” Pécresse wrote in a post on X. “We must be able to celebrate on victory nights peacefully in Paris and the Île-de-France region!” Similar riots took place in Paris last May after Paris Saint-Germain’s victory at the previous Champions League final, resulting in more than 500 arrests and two deaths and drawing widespread political condemnation. Paris Saint-Germain defeated Arsenal in a dramatic final in Budapest after a 4-3 shoot-out following a 1-1 draw after extra …

French poll sees far-right Bardella winning, far-left Mélenchon surging in 2027 election – POLITICO

French poll sees far-right Bardella winning, far-left Mélenchon surging in 2027 election – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Mélenchon qualifying for the two-candidate runoff next year is seen as a nightmare scenario by most of France’s political center-right and center-left, because polling predicts he would lose heavily to the far right. The Odoxa poll showed the leader of France Unbowed winning 16 percent of the vote in the first round, up from 12 percent in a similar poll conducted last month. The poll placed him virtually level with Philippe, who slipped to 17 percent from 21 percent. Mélenchon was also the most popular left-wing politician among left-wing voters, ahead of rivals such as former President François Hollande and MEP Raphaël Glucksmann. Some 49 percent of left-wing voters supported Mélenchon, compared to 43 percent for Hollande and 36 percent for Glucksmann, the poll said. “For Édouard Philippe, this poll in May is sounding alarm bells, with a double hit … that shows him dropping behind Bardella in the second round and within range of Mélenchon,” wrote Odoxa head Gaël Sliman. An Odoxa poll published in November projected that the National Rally leader would beat …

The French far right’s weak spot: Economic incoherence – POLITICO

The French far right’s weak spot: Economic incoherence – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

While Bardella has enjoyed success courting the titans of industry — especially those executives belonging to CAC40, the index of France’s largest listed companies — Le Pen’s more recent attempts at engagement with business have been rockier. Politicians from rival parties are wasting no time in seeking to score points from the ideological schism at the heart of the nationalist, anti-immigration National Rally. “There’s the new generation National Rally that’s courting CAC40 executives, companies and business leaders … and the old guard that is pro-spending, pro-nanny state,” Édouard Philippe, the conservative main challenger to the far right, said this month. “You can count on me to condemn their posturing and U-turns.” Éric Zemmour, leader of the far-right Reconquest party, accused Bardella of going to “great lengths” to make it look as if the National Rally were right-wing while the party hierarchy — most notably Le Pen — had leftist economic instincts and wanted to hike taxes. Noting the divisions between Bardella and Le Pen, members of the far-left France Unbowed party said their presidential candidate …

French presidential candidate Philippe faces embezzlement probe – POLITICO

French presidential candidate Philippe faces embezzlement probe – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

He “takes note” of the opening of the inquiry against him, said the official for Le Havre regional authority, who was granted anonymity in line with protocol rules. “He will, of course, answer all the questions that the [magistrates] will ask him in a very serene fashion, as he always has done,” said the official. An AFP news wire states that the investigation was triggered by a whistleblower who reported the alleged misconduct in September 2023. The alleged conflict of interest concerns a public contract worth over €2 million that Le Havre’s regional authority signed with a charity called LH French Tech in July 2020. LH French Tech was run by local councilor Stéphanie de Bazelaire. The inquiry comes at a sensitive moment for Philippe. Earlier this month, he launched his campaign for next year’s presidential election, putting an end to speculation over when the former prime minister would make his move for the Elysée. Early polling suggests Philippe is one of the best-placed candidates to beat far-right leaders Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen, …

A Franco-German reset – POLITICO

A Franco-German reset – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

“It is part of an embassy’s role to talk to all political forces in its host country,” said a spokesperson for the embassy, declining to comment on what was discussed. A press representative for the party said no visit to Germany was in the works as of now, but Bardella’s inner circle has an example in mind for constructive collaboration with the EU’s economic powerhouse: The working relationship between German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Meloni, who has recast herself in office as a more moderate figure after years on the political fringes. Bardella has publicly cited Meloni as an inspiration, and hopes are growing within his party that if he were to become president, he could work with the German and Italian leaders to push the EU in a rightward direction. In an interview with the German newspaper FAZ Tuesday, Bardella hinted at his hope of forming a power triangle with Berlin and Rome, citing migration as an issue on which the three capitals could have a common cause. “France and Germany, with Italy’s support, …

La croisade de l’extrême droite contre le CNC inquiète le cinéma français – POLITICO

The far right’s crusade against French cinema – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Should it win the Elysée in next year’s election, as polls currently predict, the National Rally would likely either make good on that proposal or redirect some of its funding toward other priorities. “People from the cinema world live in another reality, they are not aware of the financial problems of the French,” said Philippe Ballard, one of the National Rally lawmakers who led the effort to reduce state funding for the entertainment sector. Ballard said his constituents “roll their eyes” at talk of state-backed cinema at a time when they’re forced to choose between filling up their gas tanks or their refrigerators. Cinemagoers queue outside the Nickel Écoles cinema, a Paris cinema specialising in old American films, in July 1980. | Photo by Barbara Alper/Getty Images Directors, producers and actors who spoke to POLITICO respond that such a move would torpedo a job-creating industry that, according to one estimate, generated €12.6 billion of value added in 2022, and employs more than 260,000 people. They contend the current system attracts foreign investment, projects French soft …

Former PM Philippe launches presidential campaign to take on far right in France – POLITICO

Former PM Philippe launches presidential campaign to take on far right in France – POLITICO

Published by Sam Flores

Philippe has in recent weeks faced accusations he was being too quiet and running an overly low-profile campaign. According to early polling, he looked to be comfortably the best-placed centrist candidate to beat the far right in the next presidential election. But more recent polling suggested his lead over former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and conservative leader Bruno Retailleau was narrowing. Both been campaigning hard to overtake Philippe. During his hour-long speech in Reims, Philippe sketched out his aims for the campaign, hitting several conservative hot-button topics: lowering taxes on turnover for French companies, slashing red tape, rebalancing the state pension system and fighting crime and drug trafficking. According to party officials, one of Philippe’s short-term objectives will be to unite the center right around his candidacy, and particularly the conservatives, before trying to widen his appeal.  “I came from the right … I’m not going to apologize,” said Philippe, who is a former member of the conservative Les Républicains party. “And I know where I am, at the head of a rightwing party, and the mayor …