Well it wasn't as if I was not expecting it.

[Suff]

Which is why Hollande was running around chivvying everyone in Europe up and the Charles De Gaulle is bombing the hell out of IS.

Because FN is now hammering everyone else in at least half the regional elections.

Our French local officials are openly talking about the third world war. A religious war. And they have absolutely no intention of losing....

[Workingman]

This was breaking news as I was going to bed. It will be interesting to see what the next round brings.... and what steps the media and politicians will take in the meantime to demonise FN.

I find it interesting that there are only two groups of the right. The right and the far-right, pick the wrong group and, well, we all know what you are. At the same time there are 50 shades of left and every one is full of "right (correct) thinking" good eggs.

[cromwell]

It's like physics isn't it?

"For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction".

After years of liberal social policies such as mass immigration maybe the "opposite reaction" is just starting.

[Suff]

Politics is a bit more than physics though. Because it is a human construct there tends to be an opposite and totally unequal reaction. The pendulum then tends to swing wildly in each direction until is steadies down again.

WM, I'm waiting for that too. I know someone who was charged and successfully convicted for illegally putting up FN election posters. The left, on the other hand, have been doing this forever and nobody gets charged.

The police, on the other hand, are now really worried about this Islamic threat and don't see FN as a big threat any more...

The wheel turns.

[Suff]

Surprise, surprise, Marine Le Pen stood in Nord Pas de Calais, which could have far reaching ramifications for La Jungle(x) and the tolerance to illegals. She got circa 40% of the vote and there does not seem to be any way she is not going to win it.

[Suff]

and what steps the media and politicians will take in the meantime to demonise FN.

That has already begun. In the six regions that FN did well, the left will stand down and not contest the seat, allowing the moderate right to take the seat if FN don't win enough votes.

I've seen this before. In the 2014 Swedish elections, when Sweden Democrats came third, the left and right agreed on a 16 year power sharing agreement with alternate parties taking the high office. They counted without the will of the people and the impact of the latest mess with hundreds of thousands of immigrants aiming for Sweden as a "soft touch" along with Germany.

Next I expect SD to just miss 2nd place. Right now the French are even more determined to get security through political action. I can see moderate right becoming hard right if the established parties try to block the change the people want.

In France the voters are even more averse to this kind of political machinations. The swedes may be slow to anger and implacable in their anger, but the French are quick to anger and quick to action with it.

[Workingman]

I also noticed that it had begun, but when I saw it it was only two departments.

Hopefully the French will see right through it and vote accordingly.

[Suff]

Hopefully. I recall some furious discussions in the pub on the corner about the Constitution. Everyone down to the street cleaner all going at it hammer and tongs with the document in their hands to make their point.

Contrast the British engagement and reaction on the same event....

France voted NO to the Constitution. The most common phrase repeated in all that arguing? We're French we don't need to be European citizens!

Hopefully they will engage just as robustly this time.