France re-elects Chirac in landslide

The controversial ultra-right wing National Front Party presidential candidate, Jean-Marie Le Pen, unexpectedly won the presidential primaries April 21, pitting him against incumbent president Jacques Chirac, the moderate right wing contender. Although it was a landslide victory for Chirac, winning 81 to 83 percent of the vote with an 80 percent voter turnout, Chirac's road to victory captured international headlines. Le Pen won 17 to 18 percent Sunday.\nThe presidential election in France has caused the people of France to take to the streets. A peaceful march on May 1, international labor day, drew close to a million people throughout the country. This visible reaction comes from the majority of the French people who are shocked that an ultra-right contender made it to the presidential elections. \n"It is a threat that Le Pen got more than 10 percent at the polls," said Caroline Fache, a French exchange student studying at IU, referring to the first round of balloting.\nWith the poor economic situation and an unemployment rate up to 9.1 percent, Fache speculates that the majority of hard hit countryside residents voted for Le Pen because of his tough immigration platform and a feeling that Chirac has not done enough to change the situation. With the comparatively unstable Eastern European bloc, France has seen a flood of immigrants from the east as well as from North Africa. Feelings of resentment for these immigrants, who could be taking jobs away from French people, have opened the doors for radical change. \nImmigration was Le Pen's lead issue. His immigration policies included deporting illegal immigrants, tightening border controls and showing preference for French natives for jobs.\nHowever, it is not just immigrants who are worried.\n"As for the foreigners here, those in my immediate circle are a little uneasy because Le Pen wants foreigners out of France," said Cassandra Stekly, an IU senior studying in France. "I have heard him likened to a modern day Hitler."\nLe Pen's platform also included pulling France from the European Union and reverting back to the franc from the euro change-over at the start of this year.\nYet it is not these views that worry the rest of France's citizens -- it is who Le Pen is that worries them. A known fascist, Le Pen has been convicted five times for racist and anti-semitic remarks. \n"That 'not a big deal to be a racist' (attitude) triggered a lively response," Fache said.\nFor many in France this election does not provide a suitable candidate because both are from the right-wing and have poor reputations. Chirac's reputation is swirling amidst accusations of corruption in the presidency, including lying and theft.\n"They are completely torn and for maybe the first time in history are having to go against their lifelong beliefs and their political standpoints to vote for someone who may not or is not the most suitable person for the presidency," said Shayna Walter, an IU senior studying in France. \nThe political situation and citizen activism in France is different than the United States. For the primaries there were 16 parties on the ballot, and while it is usual for moderate left and right wing candidates to win the first round balloting, all parties are recognized and have public support. The voters of France also have a reputation for high voter turnout. It may be common in America for a presidential election to have a mere 50 percent turnout, but on April 21 there was a record-low of 72 percent. \nThis low turnout could be the reason for the unexpected candidate. Lionel Jospin, the current prime minister, is with the moderate left-wing Socialist Party currently holding parliament majority. Having the presidency under a different party belief than the parliament is common.\n"Everyone expected it to come down to Chirac and Jospin, and many have said that the only reason Le Pen is a finalist is because many people didn't vote out of indifference toward both Chirac and Jospin," Stekly said.\nAttention is focused now on not just the election but the rising number of far-right candidates gaining support and high government positions throughout Europe. The British National Party won three council seats in Burnley, England, last week, and garnered 27 percent of the vote in Oldham, England. Recent elections in Austria and Italy have also shown considerable support for far-right candidates.