Poll gives France's far-right National Front party boost ahead of regional election
More than a third of French voters believe the country’s far-right leader Marine Le Pen “embodies French republican values”, according to a shock poll for left-leaning newspaper Libération published just weeks before key regional elections.
The survey published on Monday nevertheless showed that a significant majority (57 percent) believe Le Pen would make a “bad” or “very bad” president. But the high level of approval – being recognised for having “Republican values” is a prized political asset – suggests that the National Front’s (FN) strategy of rehabilitating the party’s negative image through relentless domination of the media appears to be enjoying some success.
The FN is riding high. Polls give the far-right anti-immigration and anti-Europe party up to 33 percent national support as France gears up for this month’s regional vote – well ahead of the ruling Socialists, the conservative opposition UMP and other parties which have been consistently trailing behind.
But the momentum is palpable, and Le Pen’s anti-Europe and anti-immigration party is in a confident mood. ... “The FN has changed over the years, and its pool of supporters has changed significantly since the mid-1990s,” Igounet said. “But it is still very much an extreme-right party.”
http://www.france24.com/en/20150302-poll-france-far-right-le-pen/
33% seem to love her and 57% seem to hate her. I suppose that can lead to electoral success if the 33% turn out to vote and the 57% stay home.
