Marine Le Pen: Le Pen

Presidential Elections Dept: PARIS - The anti-immigrant far right emerged as a potentially major force in French politics with a record showing by its candidate Marine Le Pen in the first round of presidential elections, according to Winnipeg Free Press. Her backers could play a critical role in the final round of elections May 6, helping determine whether conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy sinks or survives in his battle with Socialist challenger Francois Hollande, who held a thin lead in the first-round vote and french far-right leader and National Front Party candidate for the presidential elections Marine Le Pen gestures after the first round of presidential elections, Paris, Sunday, April 22, 2012. French voters defied expectations and handed a surprisingly strong third-place showing to Le Pen, who has run on an anti-immigrant platform aimed largely at Muslims, partial results indicated. AP Photo/Jacques Brinon Le Pen, who rails against European unity and what she says is the Islamization of France, took third place with more than 18 per cent of the vote. Related Items Articles Hollande, Sarkozy heading to French presidential election runoff; Surprise from far right (www.immigrantscanada.com). As reported in the news.