Sarkozy: Operation ‘Seduce Front National Voters’.

Sarkozy’s ‘Real’  May Day (1940).

Nicolas Sarkozy has made his pitch. He is going all out to win over the 17,90% of French electors who voted Marine Le Pen in the First Round of the Presidential elections.

For him the stake is to attract the  “les petits” et “les sans-grade”  (ordinary  folk and ‘nobodies’) who voted for him in 2007 and who now cast their ballot papers for the Front National. 

Sarkozy calls for more “sécurité” (tougher policing) and a crack-down on ‘immigration’.

A a meeting  at  Longjumeau (near Paris) yesterday he attacked “l’excision” (female genital mutilation), “women hidden and wrapped up in tissue” (i.e. the Burka)  “immigration incontrôlée” and the “vote communautaire” (clearly not ‘French’ communitarian nationalism).

The left, he remarked,  “se bouche le nez” (held its nose) when talking to Marine Le Pen’s voters. He, by contrast refused to make a distinction between “good” and “bad” FN electors.  “Ce vote n’est pas répréhensible” – we cannot condemn this vote, he repeated. (Here)

Today the battle lines are focused on the Socialist Candidate’s support for the right for established non-French residents to vote in local elections. Barely mentioning that all European Union citizens can vote in other EU countries’ municipal ballots, Sarkozy denounced the principle of letting ‘étrangers’ (foreigners) participate in democratic elections. Commentators have not been slow to point out that Sarkozy supported this reform in 2005 (Here)

In another front on the ‘culture war’ Sarkozy has become resolutely opposed to ‘gay marriage’ (which Le Pen has made an issue about).

But the most insulting move so far has been Sarkozy’s announcement that he will hold a Paris  rally for “real” work (and ‘workers’) on May Day.

One assumes that the annual Trade Union rallies are for ‘false’ workers – shirkers.

Meanwhile the Front National itself is said to be counting on an eventual break-up and realignment of the French Right as a whole. They hope to play a key role in attracting people (such as Sarkozy’s party’s 42 MP strong grouping  Droite Populaire,) to a new hard-right formation.

Sarkozy’s move recalls another May 1st for the “real” workers, in 1940, under Vichy. Sarkozy makes people recall the Pétain regime’s device: Family, Work and Fatherland.

A broad swathe of the political class has reacted strongly against Sarkozy’s recent comments and plans,  particularly the claim that Marine le Pen is “compatible with the republic.” Here.

To put it mildly, far from resonating throughout the Patrie, his present campaign inspires in many people utter utter disgust.

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 It is important to bear in mind some research data about the FN vote

Sociologie et motivations des électorats

Marine Le Pen
Marine Le Pen is third amongst 18-24 ans (18%), well behind  François Hollande (29%) and Nicolas Sarkozy (28%). Elle She got 29% of manual workers’ vote, in front of  François Hollande (27%). However Jean-Luc Mélenchon  got 12% so the left is a majority amongst this group. The next social category that responded to the  FN was 26% of  the self-employed, bosses, and artisans and 22% of white collar workers.

Her class appeal is therefore wide. This may help to explain the way Sarkozy is indulging in this kind of ‘culture war’.

Polls indicate a very strong identification with her person and her message. (More information on this and other candidates’ support  here.)