French Elections

[Pyreneenguy]

I was just wondering how much interest there is in the U.K about the forthcoming Presidential and Legislative elections in France ?

I must admit that I've not enjoyed the news coverage of current political events for many a year !

What pleases me most is that the conservative / Thatcherite candidate François Fillon has so thoroughly screwed up his chances of election. Only weeks ago it was almost a foregone coclusion that he would be elected the next French president until "Penelopegate" exploded in his face.

 

[Busaholic]

I was just wondering how much interest there is in the U.K about the forthcoming Presidential and Legislative elections in France ?

I must admit that I've not enjoyed the news coverage of current political events for many a year !

What pleases me most is that the conservative / Thatcherite candidate François Fillon has so thoroughly screwed up his chances of election. Only weeks ago it was almost a foregone coclusion that he would be elected the next French president until "Penelopegate" exploded in his face.

How much more unsavoury a Le Pen presidency would be, though, and that becomes much more likely if Fillon doesn't get through to the second round.

 

[southern442]

How much more unsavoury a Le Pen presidency would be, though, and that becomes much more likely if Fillon doesn't get through to the second round.

Actually, the polls are saying that Macron would do better against Le Pen than Fillon should he go through. I know polls haven't been much to go by recently, but I have a feeling they will reflect the results much more accurately this time.

 

[Busaholic]

Actually, the polls are saying that Macron would do better against Le Pen than Fillon should he go through. I know polls haven't been much to go by recently, but I have a feeling they will reflect the results much more accurately this time.

I'd love to believe that too. France certainly has a lot more far right people than we do, but also far more vehemently anti-fascist than we do. Maybe recent history is better taught and, more importantly, understood in France than in the U.K.

 

[Pyreneenguy]

How much more unsavoury a Le Pen presidency would be, though, and that becomes much more likely if Fillon doesn't get through to the second round.

I think Marine Le Pen's anti Europe and anti-Euro stance ensures that she will never win a Presidential election. Even if she did win, it would be impossible for her to govern, as at best, the Front National would only win a handful of seats in the legislatives.

 

[LateThanNever]

I think Marine Le Pen's anti Europe and anti-Euro stance ensures that she will never win a Presidential election. Even if she did win, it would be impossible for her to govern, as at best, the Front National would only win a handful of seats in the legislatives.

There's something in that! But the latest polls suggest that Macron is the second candidate - in which case I'd be surprised if he wasn't the winner on the second round.