The Hill News

What’s the difference between France and an ostrich? None: They both have their heads stuck in the sand.

The first round of France’s presidential elections yesterday was a sad demonstration of the extent to which the French are in denial. After a campaign in which the burning issues were hardly debated, one-fifth of the French electorate voted for the racist extreme-right National Front, which scored its biggest success ever.

The National Front leader, Marine Le Pen, thanked the supporters of “the French identity” for her stunning success (even though she will not go through to the runoff, which will pit President Nicolas Sarkozy against his Socialist challenger, Francois Hollande, in a tight contest).

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