It’s not easy keeping track of international politics. Mostly because we are not really bothered. We all followed the Donald Trump elections primarily for two reasons; One, because it is the United States of America and whatever affects them affects us and two, because we wanted to witness if they can actually make the colossal mistake of voting to power a man who talks like an overgrown kid with zero vocab skills.
And well, what do you know, the unthinkable did happen.
Trump’s appetite for stupidity seems to be a bottomless pit and his statements are far from even being close to president-like. I could go on. But this article would seem endless, just like his days in the White House.
So let’s divert our attention to another person who should be making as much news as Trump did, for the same, if not even more, disturbing reasons – Marine Le Pen.
Long story short, she could be the next French president. And if you haven’t bothered following the news about their elections, you should. The planet may soon be spinning out of control. Imagine the world with another Donald in it.
Marine Le Pen made headlines when she did not agree to wear a Hijab while visiting Lebanese cleric Grand Mufti Sheikh Abdul-Latif Derian in Beirut. While some may see this as a positive act of defiance, here’s where it gets twisted – She has gone on record to say, if elected, she will not allow Muslims to cover their heads or Sikhs to wear turbans.
Not how a secular country operates, is it? But this is just one issue. She was actually happy that Trump won the elections in the US. And her ‘plans’ sound a little too familiar for anyone’s liking. She too is anti-immigration and populist, not in a right way, in her policies. Another interview clip that was aired on Last Week Tonight, where she actually says things like:
“Will you accept 12 immigrants in your flat? You wouldn’t!”
“On top of that, they remove the wallpaper.” (Yup, she actually said that!)
She also went on to complain about them stealing wallets and hitting your wives. Oh and the interview started with her saying that she’s a very hospitable person. Apparently, just not when it comes to non-French people.
Le Pen heads the National Front, a party founded by her father. The man who countless times has said that the holocaust was just a minor incident. He advocated isolation of HIV victims, opposed immigration and openly spoke against Muslims. The party under him was borderline Pro-Nazi.
Marine has opposed his views against same-sex partnerships and for death penalties and even asked him to leave the party. The clever move “undemonised” the image of the party to make her a strong contender. But as things are unraveling, it seems the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree.
For example – The French authorities had rounded up Jews during WWII and eventually delivered them to a concentration camp. Something that ex-French president, Jacques Chirac, admitted France being guilty of, in 1995. But recently, she denied France’s involvement completely. She just called history wrong basically.
She may not be as extreme as her old man, but she is extreme enough to mess the world up, and the far right leader may use brutal measures to deliver what she has promised.
Her slogan says, “In the name of the people.”
Remember Brexit? Well, she plans on Frexit. And if France exits the EU, it will effectively be the end of the union. It will affect us too. Job-wise, economy-wise, politically and even students who want to go there and study. Plus the phobia against non-French people she wants to establish won’t help.
It’s all very Trump like, isn’t it? And we weren’t expecting him to win. But you know what happened. There is a section of the French society which shares the idea of ‘France for French’ people. But it may not realise the risk involved.
Here’s another disturbing part. The French elections are held in two rounds. The 1st one which sees all the candidates being voted for was held on 23rd April. The two with the highest votes were to go through to the final. Marine Le Pen got the 2nd highest votes.
Little comfort can be found in the fact that Emmanuel Macron, the other candidate, got more votes in the first round. Donald Trump took to Twitter to show support for Le Pen, while Obama called up Macron to show him his.
And there are many politicians and experts saying that Le Pen shouldn’t wouldn’t win.
But understand this, if France pulls a Trump, if the voter turn out is not good or those who voted for the other candidates now vote for Le Pen, the world will have another crisis on its hands.
The final elections will be held on 7th May, 2017. So let’s hope for the sake of Muslims who cover their heads in public, immigrants who have nowhere to go and Sikhs who wear turbans on the streets, that France votes wisely.
