The winner of the French socialist primary, Benoit Hamon, much to current Prime Minister Emmanuel Vall’s disappointment, will be the party’s presidential candidate. The main candidates have now been chosen for the two-round elections on 23rd April and 7th May.
get you a man that looks at you like manuel valls looks at benoit hamon pic.twitter.com/eGDgwl4P8p— spice girl (@firdxws) January 29, 2017
In his victory speech Hamon said: “Tonight the left raises its head, it turns towards the future and wants to win. We have certainly exposed some differences, but we managed to say, ‘I too believe,these differences will not be insurmountable when we come to face our real opponents.’ “
Benoit Hamon wins the fight for the soul of French Socialism https://t.co/VPT24z2fvQ pic.twitter.com/q1AApCQ6co— euronews (@euronews) January 29, 2017
Le Pen, the enemy
Retrouvez mon discours à l'occasion de ma 1ère Conférence présidentielle sur le thème “La France durable” : https://t.co/3wHCx0vVdU pic.twitter.com/bP6sC1ivLa— Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) January 29, 2017
For the left and the traditional right alike, Marine Le Pen is the ultimate political nemesis. Having been rather discrete in recent weeks, the president of the National Front, who has hailed both Donald Trump’s victory and Brexit, seems to be quietly biding her time, while the polls put her in the lead for the first round.
France: Presidential election 2017 so far: #LePen, #Macron and #Fillon are fighting for the first place in first round. #Hamon on the rise. pic.twitter.com/DXBxiDZDR3— Europe Elects (@EuropeElects) January 29, 2017
Le Pen expressed her readiness to a press conference in January announcing: “We are ready, resolute, organised, but beyond my campaign I’ve been preparing my five-year term during these long months.”
“Mr Clean” and the Republicans
To Le Pen’s left, but still firmly on the right, is the Republican candidate François Fillon.
“Mr Clean,” as he was nicknamed has suffered in the polls since a scandal broke centering on his wife Penelope’s allegedly bogus parliamentary position for which she was paid €500,000. Since left-wing publication, Le Canard Enchainé reported first reported the scandal an Oxada poll has shown a slip of 16 points for Fillon. He will have to overcome “Penelopegate” to make his political message credible.
Marine Le Pen's opponent in the French elections is a fraud. He paid his wife half a million for a non-existent job. https://t.co/ksxls1zfxr pic.twitter.com/r7aq3Pv1HW— Voice of Europe (@V_of_Europe) January 27, 2017
“Facing the anesthesia camp,” Fillon assured, “I am the labour and purchasing power candidate, because a country that works more, earns more.”
The end of the two-party system
What seems to have already emerged in this presidential race is the end of two-party dominance in French politics. Across the board, no major candidates would have more than 20% of the vote. As Benoit
