Growing Opposition Against Far-Right Leader in France

"United against right-wing extremism" was the slogan that brought 50 thousand people onto the streets of Paris on Saturday. Political parties, unions and human rights groups had called the protest march, which was attended by celebrities like actress Jane Birkin.

In other French cities, more than 150,000 demonstrated against Le Pen and his extremist views. Demonstrations have taken place daily all across France since last week's first round of voting in the country's presidential election.

Jean-Marie Le Pen (photo) surprised observers by outpolling Socialist Prime Minister Lionel Jospin in the first round of elections with 17 percent of the vote. French President Jacques Chirac came first with 20 percent.

Consensus of democrats

Political leaders, trade unions and churches have called for a broad-based movement to defeat Le Pen in next Sunday's final round of voting. Even the opponents of incumbent president Jacques Chirac (photo) now feel obliged to vote for him in order to block Le Pen's path to the presidency.

"We have to get people to the polls and mobilize all democratic forces. Unfortunately that means voting for Chirac, but we have to support the candidate who stands for republican values," said one demonstrator this weekend.

"We have to find our voice and show that we refuse to turn France over to fascism, racism, hatred and anti-Semitism -- everything le Pen stands for," another added.

Recent polls have predicted a resounding victory for Chirac in next week's final round of voting. One poll indicates President Jacques Chirac could take more than 80 percent of the vote.

Forecasts give Le Pen 19 percent of the vote -- only slightly more than in last week's first round. But the leader of the Front National said he was aiming to get as much as 50 percent, by gaining ground among France's Euro-skeptics.

Still, for most of the French people, Le Pen remains the enemy. The protests are likely to continue until the presidential run-off on May fifth.

German minister warns of far-right resurgence in Europe

Jean-Marie Le Pen's success in France could boost far-right movements across Europe, German Interior Minister Otto Schily (photo) said on Saturday.

Schily told France's Le Monde newspaper there were links between Le Pen's extreme-right National Front and German far-rightists. "I see the problem getting worse if extreme right groups in Europe feel encouraged by the success of Le Pen," Schily said.

The German Interior Minister said he was shocked Le Pen won 17 percent of the vote with his anti-immigrant, anti-European Union stance.

"That someone who openly positions themselves against the European Union, who demands the withdrawal of France from it, who expresses positions that are clearly xenophobic and racist, can do so well in an election is a dramatic event," he said.

"It is particularly worrying for us because it happened in a country which is our closest partner in Europe – France," Schily added. "Unfortunately, we see similar tendencies in other countries."