100,000 People Protested Against Le Pen

The leftists in France declared to `support Chirac` and started establishing `dam for stopping Le Pen`, overcoming the shock that they were defeated by extreme right Jean Marie Le Pen in the first polls.

Also, 100,000 French students and people shouted `anti-Le Pen` slogans on 22nd, likewise, the movement which is getting wary of extreme rights is spreading nationwide.

△ The left arranging the battle line= political party of French left considers joining final vote for the major election of Le Pen as a worst insult.

Socialist Party, which faced the biggest failure in the first polls held national committee meeting on 22nd and declared establishing of `blocking dam` in order to stop rising Le Pen.

Francois Alland, the leader of Socialist party declared to, `support Chirac, candidate of republic`.

Socialist party decided to discuss unification of candidate with Green party and Communist party, which are current partners in general elections in June.

Other parties of the left like Green party also agreed to support President Jacques Chirac in the second final vote.

Apart from this, dispute on taking responsibility in the event of failing in major elections is also rising highly within the left.

Dispute on political route between persistence part which insists recovering identification of the left and moderate part, which insists inducing new democratic policy are rising.

The rights are also in major tension.

△ Protest `anti-Le Pen`= 100,000 students and people in twenty main cities of France like Paris and Marseilles shouted `anti-Le Pen` slogans on 22nd.

10,000 people in Paris came out on streets and protested shouting slogans “the left and right unify against Le Pen” and “Le Pen is a fascist”.

10,000 people came out on streets in Rill, northern city of France, too.

Even high school students at Lion, Sternberg, Lance left classrooms and had meeting, criticizing, “Le Pen is Hitler and FN is fascist party”.

Some conflict between anti-Le Pen and supporters of Le Pen ensued in some regions; however there was no big violence.

On the other hand, anti-Le Pen demonstrators and FN which supports Le Pen, plans to have big gathering in the center of Paris before four days from the second vote, on the First of May, memorial meeting for Labor day, therefore it causes concerns of a big conflict.

Dae-In Sun eodls@donga.com