Stephen Lendman

On April 23, first-round voting for France’s next president is scheduled. Polls show Le Pen slightly ahead of her main rivals in a race too close to call.

The top two vote-getters will meet in a May 6 runoff election. Anti-Le Penism is intense, reminiscent of how French politician/IMF managing director Dominique Strauss-Kahn was forced from office in 2011 over spurious rape charges later dropped.

He was favored to be France’s next president in 2012, denied the chance to run because of fabricated charges against him.

France’s establishment wants Le Pen denied a chance to succeed Francois Hollande. Media scoundrels denigrate her.

Last week, an arson attempt targeted her Paris headquarters. A quick response by firefighters prevented extensive damage.

Le Pen tweeted: “The extreme left-wing groups are acting with impunity, the government is letting them go, and I demand their dissolution.”

“They are responsible for aggression against police which we regularly see on TV and (violence) at the end of each protest.”

A French rock band released a song titled “La Marine,” calling her “a daughter of a whore.”

Other lyrics said “(m)y fist will remember the taste of your teeth…She must be burned like Joan of Arc.”

Le Pen’s National Front vice president Florian Philippot called on “patriots and all French people (supporting) democracy (to) react to this abomination.”

On Monday, violent protests erupted in Paris - near the venue of a Le Pen campaign event. Clashes with police followed. Journalists covering the incident were attacked. At least one press corps member had his camera smashed.

Separately, around 500,000 voters were mailed two ballots. Were they sent to likely Le Pen opponents, especially French nationals living abroad?

Election officials acknowledged the problem, indicating nothing planned to correct it. In what’s expected to be a close race, possible double-voting matters.

On April 17, The NYT disgracefully suggested possible Russian meddling, saying:

The Kremlin may “like a replay of Russia’s interference in the presidential election in the United States last year.”

No evidence suggests Moscow interfered in America’s election or any others. Claims otherwise were fabricated.

The Times quoted Republican Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Richard Burr, saying “it’s safe by everybody’s judgment that the Russians are actively involved in the French elections” - a Big Lie uncontested by The Times.

Can Le Pen pull off a stunning upset the way Trump triumphed last November? Considerable efforts appear trying to deny her any chance to be France’s next president.

-###-

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at http://www.sjlendman.blogspot.com.

Listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network.