Ministry of Interior joins hands with SDAIA in providing high tech services for pilgrims    19,710 illegals arrested in Saudi Arabia during first week of May    Saudi Armed Forces participate in 'Eager Lion 2024' exercise in Jordan    MHRSD: 1 million workers benefit from initiative to improve contractual relationship 50% fall in rate of labor disputes after launch of the initiative    SDAIA chief: Summit set to make Riyadh a global compass for AI advancements Crown Prince to patronize 3rd Global AI Summit in September    Egypt joins genocide case against Israel at ICJ    Pro-Palestinian protests sweep across Europe in response to Gaza attacks    Biden Administration proposes intelligence sharing to prevent Israeli occupation of Rafah    Neymar celebrates Al Hilal's title win, eager for comeback next season    Al Hilal wraps up Saudi League title; Jesus touts season as model of excellence    Saudi Arabia bolsters digital government ties with the UK    Muslim World League inaugurates first Southeast Asian scholars council in Kuala Lumpur    AlUla partners with Riyadh Air to enhance Saudi Arabia's travel offerings    Red Sea Global celebrates graduation of first batch of International Hospitality Management students    Al Hilal clinches Saudi Professional League title in a star-studded season    Saudi authorities recall contaminated mayonnaise after food poisoning incident at Riyadh restaurant    Al Ettifaq inflicts historic 5-0 defeat on Al Ittihad in Saudi Professional League    Israel heads to Eurovision final, despite protests    Rat remains found in bread sparks Japan recall and refunds    JAX District earns industrial heritage site designation in Saudi Arabia    JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law    Trump's Bible endorsement raises concern in Christian religious circles    Hollywood icon Will Smith shares his profound admiration for Holy Qur'an    We have celebrated Founding Day for three years - but it has been with us for 300    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



French local election runoff tests far-right strength
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 30 - 03 - 2015

PARIS — Voting started in France on Sunday to elect thousands of local councillors in a test of the far-right National Front's growing hold on grassroots politics.
Marine Le Pen's anti-immigrant, anti-euro FN party is banking on building a base of locally elected officials to become more mainstream and target national ballots.
While it came second in the election run-up last week, in a setback to its claims that it has become the country's first party, the FN did win one in four votes and is all but certain to see a big jump from its current two councilors.
“The FN is now implemented nationwide, it has reached a level that is high, too high,” Socialist Prime Minister Manuel Valls, who has been stressing his “fear” of the FN's rise to try and mobilize disillusioned left-wing voters, told Le Journal du Dimanche weekly.
The second round is also a key test for ex-president Nicolas Sarkozy, who put a faltering comeback back on track by steering his conservative UMP party to an unexpected first place in the first round.
But he needs a big win on Sunday to help consolidate his leadership of the UMP and get its nomination for the 2017 presidential election.
Opinion polls see the UMP and its allies winning nearly twice as many seats as President Francois Hollande's Socialists and its partners.
While surveys see the Socialists losing 20 to 40 of the 61 “departments” they now hold, the government, encouraged by signs that the economy is starting to turn around, will press ahead with reforms and a reshuffle is not in the cards for now, Valls told the Journal du Dimanche.
The FN saw eight of its candidates elected in the first round and 100-220 more could be elected on Sunday, an Ifop poll showed. The far-right party is hoping to win one or two departements at most due to unfavorable electoral arithmetic but eyes a bigger win in regional polls later this year.
Opinion polls see Le Pen likely too make it to the second round of the presidential election in 2017, but not winning.
The complex election system, in which a duo of councilors is elected per constituency and they then vote to decide on 98 “departements” assemblies' presidents, means much negotiation will follow to see how many “departements” each party has won.
In total, 4108 councillors with limited powers over roads, schools and social services will be elected. — Reuters


Clic here to read the story from its source.