Politics is a Dirty Game in France Especially for Right-Wing Nationalists

The banks, the courts, parliament, the EU Parliament have for many years attempted to destroy Marine Le Pen. Is there some collusion? Is Deep State at work here? Whoever is behind the constant persecution does not have the best interests of France in mind.

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation

Jonathon Gatehouse · CBC News 

Leader of France's far-right National Rally party, Marine Le Pen, has been ordered to undergo a psychiatric assessment as it probes her posting of graphic images of Islamic State executions on social media. (Bertrand Guay/AFP/Getty Images)

Le Pen probe

A French court has ordered far-right leader Marine Le Pen to undergo a psychiatric assessment as it probes her decision to publish graphic images of Islamic State executions on social media.

The 50-year-old head of the National Front — recently rebranded as the National Rally — posted three gruesome photos on Twitter in December 2015 after a journalist told a French television program that her party shared a "community of spirit" with the extremist group.

"ISIS is THIS," Le Pen wrote in an outraged response to the accusation, attaching pictures of a man being burned alive, another being run over by a tank, and the headless corpse of American journalist James Foley.

French law prohibits the dissemination of "violent messages that incite terrorism or … seriously harm human dignity."

Le Pen, a former member of the European Parliament, was only put under formal investigation in March after that body voted to strip her of immunity as part of an unrelated fraud investigation. If convicted, she faces up to three years in jail and a fine of €75,000.

Today, Le Pen reacted angrily to the court's assessment order, posting a photo of the legal papers on her Twitter account and calling the decision "crazy."

Later, speaking to reporters, she suggested that the evaluation is part of a wider attempt to silence her and the party, and said that she will skip the tests.

"I'd like to see how the judge would try and force me do it," Le Pen said.

Legal experts were quick to point out that such an assessment is in fact required under the law to establish whether she suffers from any mental illness that might have diminished her capacity to understand what she was doing when she posted the images. The psychiatrist will also determine whether she poses a risk to herself or the public.

It's pretty obvious she was angrily responding to an imbecilic media person and not trying to influence anyone to commit terrorism. A sane person would think just the opposite, that she is trying to reduce terrorism by revealing just how horrific it is. 

Nevertheless, I think she should take the psyche exam as long as it is not with a government or court-appointed psychiatrist, but one of impeccable character. I also think the interview should be recorded and reviewed by a panel of reputable psychiatrists, at Le Pen's discretion.

Other European populists were quick to leap to her defence.

"A court orders a psychiatric assessment for Marine Le Pen. Words fail me! Solidarity with her and with the French who love freedom!" said Matteo Salvini, Italy's interior minister and leader of the far-right League party, in a statement.

The National Front/Rally and its leader have suffered a number of setbacks since Emmanuel Macron resoundingly defeated Le Pen in the run-off election for France's presidency in 2017.

The campaign posters of French presidential election candidates Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron are seen in Henin-Beaumont, northern France, in April 2017. Macron resoundingly defeated Le Pen in the run-off election for France's presidency. (Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images)

French banks, which had denied her requests for campaign loans, closed her personal and party accounts last fall. Le Pen denounced the moves as political "persecution."

And she has been ordered to repay almost 300,000 euros ($455,000 Cdn) to the European Parliament after an internal investigation determined that she improperly used her office budget to pay aides to do non-parliamentary work for the National Front.

Le Pen, who maintains that she did nothing wrong, is appealing the findings and has refused to pay up. But the EU has been playing hardball, garnishing her salary and obtaining a temporary order from a French court to stop her party from receiving €2.35 million in state subsidies.

The EU parliament is far-left in ideology with many in the pocket of George Soros, and it will do all that it legally can (not morally can) to destroy Le Pen and her chances of becoming France's next President. Liberal loonies are also watching the EU lean more and more to the right and are desperate to stop the rush of sanity.

Liberals hate populism. They are quite sure that they know far better than ordinary people what those people want and need.

"The investigating judges are applying a death sentence by confiscating our public grant," she complained in July.

A final decision will handed down Sept. 26.

Le Pen has been busy trying to turn all those controversies to her advantage and whip up public sympathy.

"Our political adversaries want us to fail," she told a rally in the the northern town of Hénin-Beaumont earlier this month. "And when I hear the president of the Republic say that the National Rally is not a political opponent but an enemy, I can only conclude that he is doing everything within his power to break us down, to make us disappear from the country's political life."

And Le Pen is already campaigning for next spring's European elections, trying to form alliances with other far-right parties and tap into "The Movement," a new Steve Bannon-organized venture to raise funds and support for European populists.

Le Pen and former U.S. President Donald Trump advisor Steve Bannon give a joint press conference during the National Rally's annual congress on March 10 in Lille, north of France. (Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images)

The strategy may be working.

As Macron's popularity plummets amidst the scandal over his former bodyguard's physical assault of anti-government protesters, Le Pen's fortunes are rising.

A poll last month put the National Rally "coude à coude" with the president's En Marche party, both with 21 per cent support for the coming European vote.

'I Didn’t Fight Against French Algeria to Accept an Algerian France': Bardot Slams Modern-Day France

Beauty gives way to wisdom

© Eric Feferberg / AFP

French actress Brigitte Bardot has spoken out against the state of her country, saying that Islamists are "practically everywhere" and that France should not resemble Algeria.

Speaking to the French weekly Valeurs Actuelles, Bardot said that France is not what it once was. "I have been brought up in honor, patriotism, love and respect for my country, and when I see what it has become, I feel desperate," she said.

The 83-year-old also said that it is "unacceptable” to see burqas become commonplace in France, and Islamists are "practically everywhere."

"I did not fight against French Algeria to accept an Algerian France, I do not touch the culture, the identity and the customs of others, let's not touch mine," Bardot said.

The former actress didn't mince her words when it came to her thoughts on the European Union either. "We have to get out of it,” she said. Bardot added that she is a supporter of right-wing National Front politician Marine Le Pen, who has also spoken out against France's membership in the EU. She went on to note her affinity for former French Prime Minister Francois Fillon, who she described as a "good guy."

Born in 1934, Bardot was one of the best-known sex symbols of the 1950s and 1960s. She retired from the entertainment industry in 1973, after starring in 47 films. She has established herself as an animal rights activist in recent years. She recently wrote a book, 'Répliques et Piques,' embracing a collection of quotations and aphorisms.

‘Czech Donald Trump’ Set to Win Parliamentary Elections – Polls

Europe - Lurching to Starboard

The populist Czech ANO movement led by billionaire Andrej Babis, dubbed ‘the Czech Donald Trump,’ is poised to win the eastern European country’s elections by a wide margin, according to the exit polls. The center-right, euroskeptic ODS came in second.

ANO, which means ‘Yes’ in Czech and also stands as an acronym for the ‘Action of Dissatisfied Citizens’, has taken a clear lead in the election with more than 30 percent of the vote, beating its closest rivals by around 20 percentage points, according to exit polls cited by the Czech media.

The center-right, euroskeptic Civic Democratic Party (ODS) has come in second, securing about 11 percent backing. The third and fourth places were taken by the Czech Pirate Party and the anti-immigrant and anti-Islam far-right populist Freedom and Direct Democracy Party (SPD), which both gained slightly more than 10 percent with the difference between them amounting to several hundredths of a percent.

The polls also show that five more parties have cleared the 5 percent hurdle to get into parliament, including the Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia, the Social Democrats, the Christian Democratic Union and the TOP 09 movement, as well as the movement of Czech mayors and independents.

The exit polls’ results demonstrate a significant shift to euroskepticism in the Czech Republic as all the three leading parties represent anti-establishment forces in one way or another. Babis, who leads the ANO movement, is particularly known for his skepticism about the euro and severe criticism of the EU’s immigration policies, including the refugee quota system.

The SPD also actively opposes immigration and calls Islam an ideology rather than a religion while the Civic Democrats are critical towards the EU and advocate permanent exception from euro adoption for the Czech Republic.

The pro-EU Social Democrats (CSSD) received only 7.7 percent of the votes, according to the exit polls, while the liberal TOP 09 movement, considered to be the strongest supporter of further European integration and adopting the euro currency, barely managed to clear the election hurdle as it gained only slightly more than 5 percent of the vote.

Babis, who is poised to become the new Czech prime minister as his party’s electoral victory is almost certain, is, however, a controversial figure. The Czech Republic’s second richest man and a billionaire, who owns one of the Czech biggest private employers – the agricultural giant Agrofert – as well as a media empire, he has already served as finance minister and deputy prime minister, but was dismissed due to allegations of financial misconduct.

Babis was sacked from the government in May after a months-long coalition crisis that started with allegations that he dodged taxes as Agrofert CEO back in 2012. He was separately charged over allegedly misusing EU subsidies. Babis dismissed all the allegations, calling them “politically motivated.”

Despite his issues with the law, Babis remains one of the most popular Czech politicians. In September, the Czech President Milos Zeman told the local media that he would name Babis the new prime minister in the event of his party’s victory, even if he were in police custody.

The two-day vote was held on October 20 and 21 to fill 200 seats in the Czech parliament’s lower house – the Chamber of Deputies. The voting ended at 14:00 local time (12:00 GMT) on Saturday with most ballots being expected to have been counted by the end of the day. However, the official results are scheduled to be announced no sooner than next week.

The results of the Czech elections have become just the latest episode of what seems to be the onward march of the right across Europe. Just a week ago, two anti-migrant parties gained the lead in the Austrian parliamentary elections and are now expected to form the ruling coalition.

Earlier, the right-wing anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party enjoyed what was called a historic success while Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats and perforce the Social Democrats suffered their worst results in more than half a century at the September parliamentary elections in Germany.

In the French presidential elections in spring 2017, Marine le Pen, the head of the right-wing National Front party made it into the run-off, beating candidates from such major establishment parties as the Republicans and the Socialists.

And in the Netherlands, Geert Wilder’s ultra-nationalist Party of Freedom came second in this year’s parliamentary elections.

Neo-Nazi Leader Quits Movement after Coming Out as Gay & Jewish

Anyone who doesn't know that God has a sense of humour needs to know that this kind of story happens every year or two. It's hilarious!

©  john kevin wilshaw / YouTube

A prominent neo-Nazi and National Front organizer has come out as gay and revealed his Jewish heritage. He made the revelations about his violent past while renouncing far-right extremism.

Kevin Wilshaw, 58, spent his entire adult life promoting white supremacism and was a high-profile figure in the National Front (NF) in the 1980s. He was still speaking at extremist events as recently as this year and was arrested for spewing race hate online in March.

Speaking to Channel 4 News, he admitted to acts of violence and racism including smashing a chair over someone’s head in Leeds and vandalizing a mosque in Aylesbury. He said he joined “because he didn’t have many friends at school,” and was looking for “comradeship” and to be “a member of a group of people that had an aim.”

“Even though you end up being a group of people that through their own extreme views are cut off from society, you do have a sense of comradeship in that you’re a member of a group that’s being attacked by other people,” he added.

Wilshaw joined the British National Party (BNP) at the age of 18 after a stint with the NF, and also dabbled with violent fringe groups such as the Racial Volunteer Force. According to Hope Not Hate, a charity that “campaigns to counter racism and fascism,” Wilshaw had belonged to the far right since 1974.

Wilshaw said he eventually realized racism was “rubbish” and quit the far-right after receiving abuse from within the movement over his sexuality.

“It’s a terribly selfish thing to say, but it’s true, I saw people being abused, shouted at, spat at in the street – it’s not until it’s directed at you that you suddenly realize what you’re doing is wrong,” he said.

He feels “appallingly guilty” over his past and now wants to fight racism, although he said he feared reprisals from the far-right for his “betrayal.”

New figures released on Tuesday revealed a stark rise in Islamophobic hate crimes reported in London in the last year.

A total of 17,042 race or religious-related crimes were reported to police 12 months up to April 2017, compared to 16,762 in the previous financial year.

The sharpest increase was recorded among anti-Islam crime, with offences up by a quarter. Homophobic crimes rose 6 percent and anti-Semitic offences increased 4.5 percent.

The government has also been urged to launch an inquiry into far-right extremism in the armed forces after four soldiers were arrested for being alleged members of a banned neo-Nazi group called National Action.

Marine Le Pen is Now Leading Among French Voters – Poll

French presidential candidate and leader of the right-wing National Front party Marine Le Pen is gaining more support, leading with 25 to 26 percent of the vote, according to the latest Ipsos Sopra Steria survey, carried out for Cevipof and Le Monde.

Francois Fillon comes in second, with 23 to 25 percent of the vote, and Emmanuel Macron – also gaining support – is third with 19 to 21 percent.

The fluctuation in the percentages depends on the eventual Socialist Party candidate, as yet unnamed. The party’s candidate could be former Prime Minister Manuel Valls, former Minister of Industrial Renewal Arnaud Montebourg, or former Minister of Education Benoit Hamon.

Almost 16,000 people over 18 years old were interviewed for the Ipsos Sopra Steria poll, making it a major survey in the country, about 16 times the size of usual French political polls. The survey was conducted from January 10 to 15, 2017.

In mid-December, Fillon topped the list with 28 percent, while Le Pen had around 25 percent.

The poll shows a significant drop for center-right Fillon, and a significant consolidation for Le Pen as well as Macron, with the latter rising dramatically over the past few weeks.

Under the French electoral system, the two leading candidates will meet in a May 7 run-off.

Among Le Pen’s policies is support for ‘Frexit,’ or French exit from the EU. She has also stated that France should leave NATO, as the bloc exists “only to serve Washington’s objectives.”

Marine Le Pen's Biggest Problem - Her Dad

As with any strongly, right-wing party in any democracy, there are racists and extremists inherent, for lack of a better place to go. Marine Le Pen's National Front party, in France, has the misfortune of having been formed by such a person, Marine's own father.

At 86 there is still a fire in his belly to speak out from his jaded point of view, and every time he does he paints another strip of the FN as still being racist. So, she had him suspended from the party in an effort to sever FN from its extremist past. 

Another issue affecting the racist perception of FN is their focus on immigration. Marine is smart enough to know that France will cease to be French before the middle of this century, and will become a Muslim country. 

For those short-sighted, liberally-minded people who can't see the obvious writing on the wall, this is just a continuation of racism. To some degree, they are correct, but they have to make a choice, do they want to be racist, or do they want to be Muslim. 

Muslims, by the way, are inherently racist, some to the point of being quite alright with murdering anyone who isn't Muslim. Not only are they alright with murdering non-Muslims, they believe that they will be rewarded for such in Heaven. If they only knew that Heaven will never be open to those who murder Christians and Jews.

Jean-Marie Le Pen (left) and Marine Le Pen. Photo: 1 May 2015
Marine (right) has made it clear she wants her father out of politics

From BBC Europe

France's National Front party founder Jean-Marie Le Pen says he is "ashamed" his daughter - current party leader Marine - still bears his surname.

Amid a growing feud, Mr Le Pen said he hoped she "would get married as quickly as possible so as to change her name".

He added he would not support Marine in presidential elections in 2017.

His remarks came after the far-right party suspended Mr Le Pen, 86, after he repeated his view that the Holocaust was "a detail of history".

Marine Le Pen, 46, has been trying to steer the National Front (FN) away from its racist and anti-Semitic past.

Ms Le Pen's view is that FN's growth is being held back by memories of what it used to be, and that to move to the next level it must cut itself free from its past, the BBC's Hugh Schofield in Paris reports.

Speaking to France's Europe 1 radio, Mr Le Pen said: "I was hoping that the president of the National Front would get married as quickly as possible so as to change her name.

"Because I'm ashamed that she has the same surname as me."

Asked if he would still be supporting his daughter in the presidential elections, Mr Le Pen answered: "Not for the moment."

Jean-Marie Le Pen with his daughter at a youth congress on 7 Sept 2014

Strong words

"[He] seems to have entered a veritable spiral between a scorched earth strategy and political suicide" - Marine Le Pen, 8 April

"Marine Le Pen may want me dead, that's possible, but she must not count on my co-operation" - Jean-Marie Le Pen, 9 April

Le Pen family feud in quotes

Mr Le Pen has been suspended but not dismissed by the party - a decision he described as a "felony".

An extraordinary party congress is expected to be held within three months aimed at ending the function of honorary president - which Mr Le Pen has been holding since stepping down as leader in 2011.

Some commentators have suggested he could be more of a risk outside the party than within it.

Mr Le Pen still holds a seat in the European Parliament and a post as a regional councillor in the south of France.

French media on father-daughter feud

Dominique Albertini in Liberation notes that Marine Le Pen "dealt with the paternal problem in the most radical way".

Le Parisien goes further, saying that the move was the "denouement of an unprecedented political and family crisis" and describes her decision as "Oedipal".

But some regional papers say that Mr Le Pen could still be dangerous.

Patrice Chabanet in the Journal de la Haute-Marne warns Marine to guard against her father who "is not a man to be dictated to" and warns of his "capacity to do harm".

Laurent Bodin in L'Alsace agrees, saying that even outside the party, her father is a "thorn" in its side.

Jean-Marie Le Pen
Jean-Marie Le Pen: A career in controversy
1987 - First makes his infamous remarks describing the Holocaust as a "detail of history"
1997 - Assaults rival Annette Peulvast-Bergeal during parliamentary election campaign
2006 - One of many convictions for inciting racial hatred over inflammatory remarks about France's Muslim population
2007 - Tells Le Monde newspaper "you can't dispute the inequality of the races"
2015 - Repeats views on the Holocaust, prompting Marine Le Pen to accuse him of trying to "rescue himself from obscurity"