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Mlenchon puts left in contention as French election becomes too close to call
Source: The Observer
Mélenchon puts left in contention as French election becomes too close to call
With a week until the first round of voting, support for veteran
La France Insoumise candidate is rising in a four-way contest
Kim Willsher
Saturday 15 April 2017 20.56 BST
Will the real Jean-Luc Mélenchon stand up? On Tuesday, Mélenchon, the rising star of the French presidential election, will appear in the eastern city of Dijon. Simultaneously a 3D hologram of the veteran hard-left politician will be beamed to six other French cities. He may not literally be there, but just days from France’s heavily contested leadership vote “JLM” will be attempting to show that his programme has more substance than his ethereal appearance might suggest.
In an election where historic and “never before” moments have become commonplace, the spectacular rise of Mélenchon has crossed a new line. Pollsters agree he is now a serious challenger to Les Républicains candidate François Fillon, who is in third position. Whether he can go further is anyone’s guess.
The favourites to make the second-round runoff on 7 May remain far-right Front National candidate Marine Le Pen and the independent centrist Emmanuel Macron. But with up to one-third of France’s 47 million voters undecided, and another 30% so disillusioned with French politics that they say they will abstain, the field is still wide open.
Two months ago any suggestion that Mélenchon, head of La France Insoumise (Unbowed France), could be a serious contender for the Elysée would have been thought laughable. Now it is no joke. Mélenchon’s popularity is running level with the beleaguered, scandal-hit Fillon in some polls, higher in others.
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With a week until the first round of voting, support for veteran
La France Insoumise candidate is rising in a four-way contest
Kim Willsher
Saturday 15 April 2017 20.56 BST
Will the real Jean-Luc Mélenchon stand up? On Tuesday, Mélenchon, the rising star of the French presidential election, will appear in the eastern city of Dijon. Simultaneously a 3D hologram of the veteran hard-left politician will be beamed to six other French cities. He may not literally be there, but just days from France’s heavily contested leadership vote “JLM” will be attempting to show that his programme has more substance than his ethereal appearance might suggest.
In an election where historic and “never before” moments have become commonplace, the spectacular rise of Mélenchon has crossed a new line. Pollsters agree he is now a serious challenger to Les Républicains candidate François Fillon, who is in third position. Whether he can go further is anyone’s guess.
The favourites to make the second-round runoff on 7 May remain far-right Front National candidate Marine Le Pen and the independent centrist Emmanuel Macron. But with up to one-third of France’s 47 million voters undecided, and another 30% so disillusioned with French politics that they say they will abstain, the field is still wide open.
Two months ago any suggestion that Mélenchon, head of La France Insoumise (Unbowed France), could be a serious contender for the Elysée would have been thought laughable. Now it is no joke. Mélenchon’s popularity is running level with the beleaguered, scandal-hit Fillon in some polls, higher in others.
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Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/apr/15/jean-luc-melenchon-france-first-round-voting-election-presidential
