Le Pen daughter takes reins of National Front (France)

[pampango]

Source: Radio France International

Marine Le Pen was on Sunday elected leader of France's far-right National Front party, which was started by her father Jean-Marie Le Pen four decades ago. His departure marks the end of an era for the anti-immigrant party that has shaken up French politics.

The National Front made international headlines in 2002, when Le Pen shocked voters by coming second in the presidential election. He also caused outrage with his comments on immigrants and Jews, once dismissing the wartime Nazi death camps as a mere "detail of history".

French President Nicolas Sarkozy’s hard line on Islam, crime and immigrants is widely seen as a strategy to stop the far right winning over voters in 2012.

Marine, a mother of three, is credited with offering a softer image of the party – although last month she compared French Muslims praying in the streets outside overcrowded mosques to the Nazi occupation.



Read more: http://www.english.rfi.fr/france/20110116-le-pen-daughter-takes-reins-national-front

[Jack Rabbit]

1. Musical interlude for Mlle. LePen and her old man

I'm sure she's a chip off the old block.

Please click here.