The dire state of French politics, the Nazi roots of the election frontrunners and reacquaintance with andouillettes

A look at the anticipated but still worrying outcome of the first round of the French legislative elections. They happened because President Emmanuel Macron made a spectacularly botched response to successes by the French far right in June's polling for the European Parliament .... this article appeared at my Substack pages, still free to view

 

At the school gymnasium where I play badminton in the French resort of La Londe-les-Maures, two of my three companions in any game of doubles can statistically be assumed to have voted for Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement National in last Sunday’s legislative elections.

My return to France much delayed, I have been missing from the courts for months. But I hope to join fellow club members at the end-of-season soirée this weekend, the eve of the second and decisive round of voting.

Now it could be that badminton players are a species apart, too noble to contemplate supporting a party with such a sinister background, one still routinely described as l’extrême droite with the blessing of a constitutional court ruling. But that is not really likely so I must resist any temptation to throw shuttlecocks about in a rage.

 

Jordan Bardella: by BootEXE