Thousands of supporters of the French far-right presidential candidate Eric Zemour gathered for a rally near the French capital Paris on Sunday, AFP reported. This was the first official rally of the candidate from the election campaign, as the police were on high alert for the risk of clashes with counter-protesters.
About 19,000 people registered for the event, according to Zemur’s campaign. This prompted organizers to replace a larger-capacity concert hall in the Villepinte suburb northeast of the capital.
Zemur presents at the same time as the campaign and his new book.
We remind you that at the end of November, Zemur has officially announced his candidacy for next year’s presidential election in France. He did so with a video depicting black Muslim men and women, and called on voters to take back their country “from the minorities that oppress the majority”.
Zemur, who has been convicted of inciting racial hatred, has recently become the main contender for Marin Le Pen, leader of the more established far-right National Assembly, for a possible run in the run-off against President Emmanuel Macron.
The far-right Eric Zemour is running for president of France
He will be one of Macron’s main contenders
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Zemur’s candidacy turns the election into a test of the resilience and popularity of the far right, which has expanded its influence across Europe over the past decade.
“For a long time I was happy with the role of a journalist, but I no longer believe that there is a politician with the courage to save the country from the tragic fate that awaits it. That is why I am running in the election,” Zemur, 63, said in the video.
At this stage, most opinion polls predict that Emmanuel Macron and Marin Le Pen will face off in a second round of the presidential election in April next year. However, Zemur also has a good chance of reaching the runoff.
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