Leader of Far Right in France Joins (and Jolts) Race for Presidency
from the NY Times
By ELAINE SCIOLINO
Published: March 15, 2007
PARIS, March 14 — Jean-Marie Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, registered Wednesday as a candidate for president, adding new uncertainty to the campaign.
Mr. Le Pen, a candidate in four previous presidential contests, deposited the signatures of 535 elected officials supporting his candidacy with the Constitutional Council.
He stunned France in 2002 when he edged out Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, the Socialist, in the first round. Mr. Le Pen, 78, was trounced by the incumbent, Jacques Chirac, in the runoff.
Mr. Le Pen’s candidacy is likely to draw some support in the first round next month from the conservative candidate, Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who leads in the polls, and from François Bayrou, of the slightly more centrist party, the Union for French Democracy.
But neither the polls nor political analysts suggest that Mr. Le Pen will make it to the second round this time.
Many of Mr. Le Pen’s themes have been echoed by Mr. Sarkozy, who is likely to secure votes from a large portion of Mr. Le Pen’s supporters in the second round.
By ELAINE SCIOLINO
Published: March 15, 2007
PARIS, March 14 — Jean-Marie Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front, registered Wednesday as a candidate for president, adding new uncertainty to the campaign.
Mr. Le Pen, a candidate in four previous presidential contests, deposited the signatures of 535 elected officials supporting his candidacy with the Constitutional Council.
He stunned France in 2002 when he edged out Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, the Socialist, in the first round. Mr. Le Pen, 78, was trounced by the incumbent, Jacques Chirac, in the runoff.
Mr. Le Pen’s candidacy is likely to draw some support in the first round next month from the conservative candidate, Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy, who leads in the polls, and from François Bayrou, of the slightly more centrist party, the Union for French Democracy.
But neither the polls nor political analysts suggest that Mr. Le Pen will make it to the second round this time.
Many of Mr. Le Pen’s themes have been echoed by Mr. Sarkozy, who is likely to secure votes from a large portion of Mr. Le Pen’s supporters in the second round.
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