The local elections in France held in France on Sunday led the far-right National Front party to the greatest achievement in its history.
The candidates nominated by party chairwoman Marine Le Pen are expected to head at least four cities and several other small councils. The first round was held last week - at that time, the party's candidate Steve Brivet had already won the mayoral election for the city of Henning-Beaumont, located in northeastern France.
Now it appears that the members of the party, which has inscribed on its banner the fight against immigrants and hatred of the eurozone, will lead at least three more cities: Beziers, Préjus and Heingen.
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Henin Beaumont was a long-time socialist stronghold that was transformed after many factories closed in the past 15 years. The unemployment rate soared to 181% and residents cried out for government aid, which barely arrived. Against this backdrop, residents voted for a far-right candidate. According to commentators, the city's victory in the first round helped sweep several other towns and villages in the second round.
The huge achievement of the National Front can also be attributed in no small part to the low voter turnout: 63% bothered to come to the polls. This is an all-time low in local elections. President Hollande's Socialist Party is seen as a drain; the center-right party (UMP) is busy with leadership battles and dealing with criminal scandals involving former chairman Nicolas Sarkozy.
In recent years, Marine Le Pen has made sure to get rid of the party's anti-Semitic traits, which she inherited from her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, and has focused her election platform on hostility to Europe, hatred of Muslims, and a desire to shun "old-generation politicians.".
