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04-23-2017, 08:10 AM
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PARIS: France was on edge on Saturday on the eve of its most unpredictable presidential election in decades, which will take place under heightened security after the jihadist killing of a policeman.
The Islamic State-claimed slaying of the ******r on Paris´s Champs Elysees avenue thrust questions of security to the fore of campaigning after nine months of relative calm.
Nearly a quarter of voters are still undecided, and surveys showed until **w the French to be more concerned about jobs and the eco**my than terrorism. But analysts warned Thursday´s shooting could change that.
The top two vote getters in Sunday´s tight, four-way contest will head to a run-off on May 7. Authorities in Paris have offered additional guards for hundreds of polling stations in the capital, which will come on top of an already major security plan across the country.
“An extra guard or reinforcement of staff will be provided to any polling station that needs it,” Paris town hall official Colombe Brossel said.
On Sunday, around 50,000 police and 7,000 soldiers will be deployed to protect voters around France.
Voters headed to the polls on Saturday in many of France´s overseas territories like Martinique and Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, as well as in the US.
France was still shaken two days after 39-year-old gunman Karim Cheurfi shot dead a police ******r and wounded two others before being killed, in an attack that sent tourists on the Champs Elysees rushing for cover. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen moved quickly to present herself as the strongest defender against Islamists in a country under a state of emergency since a string of terror attacks that began in 2015, which have killed more than 230 people.
The 48-year-old leader of the anti-immigration National Front (FN) called for France to “immediately” take back control of its borders from the European Union and deport all foreigners on a terror watchlist.
“This war against us is ceaseless and merciless,” she said, accusing the Socialist government of a “cowardly” response to the threat.
Centrist Emmanuel Macron and conservative Francois Fillon also hastily convened televised briefings in which they vowed to protect the country.
“Some haven´t taken the full measure of the evil,” 63-year-old Fillon said, promising an “iron-fisted” approach.
Macron, a 39-year-old moderate whom Fillon has portrayed as too inexperienced for the top job, said France was paying for the intelligence jobs cuts made when Fillon was prime minister between 2007 and 2012.
Describing the Champs Elysees shooting as an attack on democracy, he urged voters: “Do **t give in to fear.”
Communist-backed firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon, 65, was the only one of the four to stick to his schedule. He called for a “Europe of rebels”, during a rally in Paris with Pablo Iglesias, the head of Spain´s far-left Podemos party.
“Several Europes are possible, it doesn´t have to be just their Europe,” said Melenchon, a eurosceptic who has pledged to renegotiate treaties with the bloc.
A BVA poll conducted on Thursday and Friday showed Le Pen and Macron tied on 23 percent, ahead of Melenchon with 19.5 percent and Fillon on 19 percent.
Though the race has four main contenders, a total of 11 are in the running, most of whom are polling in single digits.
Police continued Saturday their probe as a clearer picture has emerged of Cheurfi´s violent past.
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PARIS: France was on edge on Saturday on the eve of its most unpredictable presidential election in decades, which will take place under heightened security after the jihadist killing of a policeman.
The Islamic State-claimed slaying of the ******r on Paris´s Champs Elysees avenue thrust questions of security to the fore of campaigning after nine months of relative calm.
Nearly a quarter of voters are still undecided, and surveys showed until **w the French to be more concerned about jobs and the eco**my than terrorism. But analysts warned Thursday´s shooting could change that.
The top two vote getters in Sunday´s tight, four-way contest will head to a run-off on May 7. Authorities in Paris have offered additional guards for hundreds of polling stations in the capital, which will come on top of an already major security plan across the country.
“An extra guard or reinforcement of staff will be provided to any polling station that needs it,” Paris town hall official Colombe Brossel said.
On Sunday, around 50,000 police and 7,000 soldiers will be deployed to protect voters around France.
Voters headed to the polls on Saturday in many of France´s overseas territories like Martinique and Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, as well as in the US.
France was still shaken two days after 39-year-old gunman Karim Cheurfi shot dead a police ******r and wounded two others before being killed, in an attack that sent tourists on the Champs Elysees rushing for cover. Far-right leader Marine Le Pen moved quickly to present herself as the strongest defender against Islamists in a country under a state of emergency since a string of terror attacks that began in 2015, which have killed more than 230 people.
The 48-year-old leader of the anti-immigration National Front (FN) called for France to “immediately” take back control of its borders from the European Union and deport all foreigners on a terror watchlist.
“This war against us is ceaseless and merciless,” she said, accusing the Socialist government of a “cowardly” response to the threat.
Centrist Emmanuel Macron and conservative Francois Fillon also hastily convened televised briefings in which they vowed to protect the country.
“Some haven´t taken the full measure of the evil,” 63-year-old Fillon said, promising an “iron-fisted” approach.
Macron, a 39-year-old moderate whom Fillon has portrayed as too inexperienced for the top job, said France was paying for the intelligence jobs cuts made when Fillon was prime minister between 2007 and 2012.
Describing the Champs Elysees shooting as an attack on democracy, he urged voters: “Do **t give in to fear.”
Communist-backed firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon, 65, was the only one of the four to stick to his schedule. He called for a “Europe of rebels”, during a rally in Paris with Pablo Iglesias, the head of Spain´s far-left Podemos party.
“Several Europes are possible, it doesn´t have to be just their Europe,” said Melenchon, a eurosceptic who has pledged to renegotiate treaties with the bloc.
A BVA poll conducted on Thursday and Friday showed Le Pen and Macron tied on 23 percent, ahead of Melenchon with 19.5 percent and Fillon on 19 percent.
Though the race has four main contenders, a total of 11 are in the running, most of whom are polling in single digits.
Police continued Saturday their probe as a clearer picture has emerged of Cheurfi´s violent past.
http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/World-TheNewsInternational/~4/S3RcGTCfzDs
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