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French elections: François Hollande under pressure after crushing losses | French elections: François Hollande under pressure after crushing losses |
(35 minutes later) | |
The French president, François Hollande, was under intense pressure on Monday to shake up his government and "show he is not deaf" after voters inflicted crushing losses on his Socialist party in local elections. | The French president, François Hollande, was under intense pressure on Monday to shake up his government and "show he is not deaf" after voters inflicted crushing losses on his Socialist party in local elections. |
On what was nicknamed "Black Sunday", France's left was given a drubbing in the polls and lost more than 150 major towns, mostly to the opposition right. | On what was nicknamed "Black Sunday", France's left was given a drubbing in the polls and lost more than 150 major towns, mostly to the opposition right. |
There were also significant and historic gains for the Front National, which took control in at least 11 municipalities, and gained about 1,200 seats on local councils. However, the party failed to take the cities of Avignon and Perpignan where its candidates had led in last week's first round vote, or the town of Forbach, where the party's number two was running for mayor. | |
The success of the charismatic and media-savvy Marine Le Pen's far right FN has given the party a boost in the runup to the European elections in May, where it hopes to repeat its success. | The success of the charismatic and media-savvy Marine Le Pen's far right FN has given the party a boost in the runup to the European elections in May, where it hopes to repeat its success. |
Local elections are often a means for the public to show its dissatisfaction with the party in power, so Hollande, whose popularity is at an all-time low, and the Socialists had expected an electoral rout after a dismal showing in the first round. But the scale of Sunday's debacle came as a devastating blow. | Local elections are often a means for the public to show its dissatisfaction with the party in power, so Hollande, whose popularity is at an all-time low, and the Socialists had expected an electoral rout after a dismal showing in the first round. But the scale of Sunday's debacle came as a devastating blow. |
"The Punishment," shouted the headline in the left-leaning Libération over a picture of Hollande. | "The Punishment," shouted the headline in the left-leaning Libération over a picture of Hollande. |
"The blue tsunami breaks over Hollande," said the centre-right Le Figaro. | "The blue tsunami breaks over Hollande," said the centre-right Le Figaro. |
The only moment of relief for Hollande came when it was confirmed that the Socialist candidate Anne Hidalgo had won in Paris, making her the capital's first female mayor. She will succeed the popular Socialist mayor Bertrand Delanoê, her mentor, who has run the city since 2001. | The only moment of relief for Hollande came when it was confirmed that the Socialist candidate Anne Hidalgo had won in Paris, making her the capital's first female mayor. She will succeed the popular Socialist mayor Bertrand Delanoê, her mentor, who has run the city since 2001. |
"It has been a black Sunday," said Socialist MP Jean-Christophe Cambadélis, the Socialist party's (PS) deputy leader. "It's a reminder from those in France who earn and live on very little." | |
There was further doom and gloom for the Socialists on Monday morning when, in an unfortunate stroke of timing, official figures were released showing France had cut its public deficit less quickly than planned. It fell to 4.3% of gross domestic product (GDP) last year, above the 4.1% target Hollande had pledged, and a long way from the 3% demanded by the EU by the end of next year. Brussels has already granted Paris two extra years to meet the limit. | There was further doom and gloom for the Socialists on Monday morning when, in an unfortunate stroke of timing, official figures were released showing France had cut its public deficit less quickly than planned. It fell to 4.3% of gross domestic product (GDP) last year, above the 4.1% target Hollande had pledged, and a long way from the 3% demanded by the EU by the end of next year. Brussels has already granted Paris two extra years to meet the limit. |
As a clamour rose for Hollande to react to the vote. Europe 1 radio reported that the prime minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, had wanted to resign on Sunday night in response to his party's dismal showing but was talked out of going by aides. | |
The French media suggested the stay of execution for Ayrault was likely to be short-lived. Among those who have been tipped to take his place are Manuel Valls, the interior minister and, according to polls, the public's choice for the job, or foreign minister Laurent Fabius. Martine Aubry, the mayor of Lille, and Delanoë's names have also mentioned. | The French media suggested the stay of execution for Ayrault was likely to be short-lived. Among those who have been tipped to take his place are Manuel Valls, the interior minister and, according to polls, the public's choice for the job, or foreign minister Laurent Fabius. Martine Aubry, the mayor of Lille, and Delanoë's names have also mentioned. |
As the final voting figures came in on Monday, it was clear the FN had benefited from record abstention of 38.5% of the electorate, and a protest vote against the government and UMP opposition, but also had widespread and genuine support. Among the far-right's most significant gains were the celebrated rugby town of Béziers, and the Mediterranean resort of Fréjus. | As the final voting figures came in on Monday, it was clear the FN had benefited from record abstention of 38.5% of the electorate, and a protest vote against the government and UMP opposition, but also had widespread and genuine support. Among the far-right's most significant gains were the celebrated rugby town of Béziers, and the Mediterranean resort of Fréjus. |
However, Jean-Yves Dormagen, professor of political science from Monpellier University, told Libération that the FN was still punching above its political relevance. | |
"If we look at things objectively, the FN remains a relatively weak force at local level. It's taken small or medium-sized towns … and the overall number won is low given that France has 980 towns with over 10,000 inhabitants," Dormagen said. "In fact these victories are the least you would expect for a party that regularly polls between 15% and 20% of the vote in national elections. The FN has returned to its level in the 1990s." | |
He added that the vote showed the "level of the public's rejection" of Hollande. | He added that the vote showed the "level of the public's rejection" of Hollande. |
"It's even more significant that the PS has lost towns where the mayors were well appreciated, where their record was good and where they had the advantage of being in power already. It shows the animosity of electors towards the government, one of the least liked in the fifth republic." | "It's even more significant that the PS has lost towns where the mayors were well appreciated, where their record was good and where they had the advantage of being in power already. It shows the animosity of electors towards the government, one of the least liked in the fifth republic." |
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