by Nomad
In this podcast interview France's Marine Le Pen, leader of the ultra-conservative National Front demonstrates why she could very well be the next French president.
Meet Madam Le Pen
If you never listened or watched the BBC program HARDtalk, it might come as bit of a shock to hear what outstanding journalism actually sounds like. There's nothing to compare it with in American news.
In this podcast, interviewer Stephen Sackur quizzes Marine Le Pen, president of France's far-right National Front (NF) Party.
According to polls held in October, a far-right or extreme-right National Front party leader Le Pen would win 30 percent of the national vote if elections were held today. As of last week, Le Pen has taken a sizeable lead over former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy.
According to one source:
According to polls held in October, a far-right or extreme-right National Front party leader Le Pen would win 30 percent of the national vote if elections were held today. As of last week, Le Pen has taken a sizeable lead over former French president, Nicolas Sarkozy.
According to one source:
Under the French election system, barring the unlikely possibility one candidate gains an overall majority in the first round vote, the two candidates with the most votes will contest a second and decisive round on 7 May.
Many of her policies have been compared to those of Donald Trump, in particular, her anti-establishment appeal to nationalism. Critics, (and Le Pen has many) claim her advocacy of anti-immigration is heavy laden with Islamophobia.
Le Pen and Trump
Ms. Le Pen was recently asked about the comparison. She expressed her happiness about the Trump victory and declared that the stunning result of the election shows power is slipping from global "elites" who have "acted like carnivores" and "used the world to enrich only themselves."
(Given the very elite, very carnivorous Donald Trump's willingness to mix his business interests with his political responsibilities, Le Penn might have to revise that assessment.)
(Given the very elite, very carnivorous Donald Trump's willingness to mix his business interests with his political responsibilities, Le Penn might have to revise that assessment.)
Her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, was the founder of the party she now represents. He was, in some ways, similar to America's controversial Lyndon LaRouche. Marine has wisely polished the sharp edges of the National Front to appeal to more the mainstream.
In one respect, Le Pen is very unlike Donald Trump. She is nobody's fool when it comes to understanding how politics actually works.
As this interview aptly demonstrates, she has formidable skills of persuasion.
As this interview aptly demonstrates, she has formidable skills of persuasion.
Tip: Be sure to listen in at 19:17 in the interview, when Sackur confronts Le Pen, asking how she can claim to be "a woman of principle" and yet accept millions of Euros from a Russian bank to finance her political campaign.
Her unrepentant response is impressive and proves that she is much more clever than Trump.
Her unrepentant response is impressive and proves that she is much more clever than Trump.
