Free Republic

A leftist candidate backed by an array of political parties successfully staved off his far-right opponent in a mayoral race Sunday that the National Front had hope would start its comeback. Other parties, from communists to President Nicolas Sarkozy's conservatives, rallied behind Daniel Duquenne whom voters designated the new mayor of Henin-Beaumont, a former mining town in northern France, in a runoff race. The victor was sprayed with tear gas minutes after the results were announced, a police officer said by telephone, confirming reports on France-Info radio and the French TV station iTele. Duquenne was not injured and the aggressor...

Marine Le Pen, daughter of the leader of France's National Front, is raring to go. Described as "an ideal physical specimen" by Jean-Marie Le Pen and wryly as "the clone" by her mother, the 35-year-old lawyer has one overriding objective: to become the acceptable, electable face of the extreme right. Her political skills will be put to the test next March when she runs for the presidency of the greater Paris regional council, in the first elections since last year's presidential vote produced the biggest upset in French postwar political history. Campaigning in a region that boasts 11m inhabitants will...