Le Pen is defeated; the struggle for a new France continues

by Pierre Laurent

People’s World | May 08, 2017

Supporters of the French Communist Party march at the Eiffel Tower in Paris. | PCF

Pierre Laurent is the national secretary of the French Communist Party (PCF), the largest force in the “La France Insoumise” (France Unbowed) coalition that backed left-wing candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the first round of the country’s presidential election last month. After centrist independent Emmanuel Macron and far-right nationalist Marine Le Pen advanced to the second round run-off, the PCF called for broad unity to defeat Le Pen while also remaining critical of the austerity program pursued by Macron. The following article is an edited version of Laurent’s immediate commentary on Sunday’s result. It was originally published in L’Humanite newspaper earlier this morning.

PARIS – Yesterday evening, Marine Le Pen, the candidate from the far-right National Front was roundly defeated in France’s presidential election. 66.1 percent of French voters refused to elect a head of state who promotes ideas of hatred and division, a nationalist project that is racist and xenophobic, and public policy that is violently discriminatory and belligerent.