Why did the French recently almost elect a Facist?

Barrow boy

There were two big players both going for the presidency, the existing 'conservative' president Jacques Chirac and the socialist prime minister Lionel Jospin. Neither was popular. Chirac had almost certainly been guilty of corruption in accepting bribes, but an investigation was dropped. Jospin was a man lacking in charisma who had initially been viewed as honest, but lost this image when it was proved that he had lied when he denied being affiliated to a far-left political party in the 1970's. Jean-Marie le Pen has been a dissident figure in politics for more than 30 years and was known for far right xenophobic policies. These policies always attract popularity from a minority of French voters, particularly nowadays when there is social unrest in inner cities revolving around North African immigrants. It was to le Pen that many voters flocked to register a protest vote. So many that he overtook Jospin to force a le Pen-Chirac showdown. At this stage the French people were sufficiently shocked that they rallied around their despised President and he was elected with a massive majority. So firstly, it is still something of an exaggeration to call le Pen a fascist, but he does nevertheless display some fascist leanings in his policies. Secondly, he would 'nearly' have been elected if the Chirac's share of the final vote had been much less. I still trust French democracy. Jul 03 02, 12:41 PM