It's not just Scotland... or Catalan. As The Guardian reports [5], polls out in the past few days in France have shown far-right Front National (FN) leader Marine Le Pen topping a presidential poll for the first time. Alongside this surge in support for FN is the utter collapse in the French people's faith in Hollande. Less than 20% of voters now approve of the French president and stunningly more than half the nation's card-holding-socialists have given up on him. An unprecedented 85% of French voters don't think Hollande should seek a second term.
An Ifop poll released by Le Figaro on Friday placed far-right Front National (FN) leader Marine Le Pen ahead of President François Hollande in a hypothetical second round runoff. It is the first time the FN tops a presidential poll against one of France’s two main parties, the Socialist Party (PS) and the centre-right Union for a Popular Movement (UMP).
[6]
This is important because, as The Guardian explains, [5]
There has long been an unwritten rule in French politics: the supporters of the two main parties have historically coalesced against FN candidates in second round votes. The clearest example in 2002’s presidential election when Jacques Chirac defeated Jean-Marie Le Pen 82-18%.
But with such widespread support (as was evident in the recent local elections), it will be hard for the main parties to turn their back in 2017.
In parallel to the FN’s growing support, the popularity of President Hollande has reached a new record low. Less than 20% of voters now approve of the president.
[7]
Even more worryingly for the Hollande camp is the loss of support among socialist voters. According to recent polls, nearly one-in-two no longer approve of the president.
* * *
“No poll, no political turmoil will kick me out,” Hollande said after his approval rating fell as low as 13 percent this month.
One word - guillotine?
* * *
Of course, as we noted here, France is not the only nation unimpressed by its leaders... [8]
[9]
* * *
The uprising against the status quo is coming, and as IceCap's Keith Dicker warned, the bond market (which has seen notable weakness in the last few days) [10]will be the first to show it. The massive signal failure between markets and reality is about to be exposed. [11]
