French far-right commentator Eric Zemmour launches presidential campaign
- Former journalist will be the top contender to challenge National Rally leader Marine Le Pen for a place in a second round against Emmanuel Macron
- His hardline criticism of Islam and immigration has drawn support from the conservative right, but his campaign has been stalling after various mishaps
Far-right French commentator Eric Zemmour announced his candidacy for president on Tuesday with a video that depicted black men and Muslim women and called on voters to take the country back “from minorities that oppress the majority”.
A former journalist who has been convicted for inciting racial hatred, he becomes the top contender to challenge Marine Le Pen, leader of the more established far-right National Rally, for a place in a second round against President Emmanuel Macron.
His candidacy turns the election into a test of the endurance and limits of Europe’s far right, which surged across the continent in the last decade but shows signs of reaching a ceiling as it pushes against boundaries of acceptable speech.
“For a long time I was happy with the role of journalist … but I no longer trust that a politician will have the courage to save the country from the tragic fate that awaits it,” Zemmour, 63, said in a video posted on social media. “That’s why I have decided to stand in the presidential election.”
His hardline criticism of Islam and immigration has drawn support both from Le Pen’s voter base and from the mainstream conservative right, but has also alienated some voters that Le Pen had long sought to reassure.
“We must give back the power to the people, take it back from minorities that oppress the majority,” Zemmour said.
