[SauronOfMordor]

Le Pen, who got only 11 % of the vote and 4th place, is rumored to be endorsing Segolene Royal.

If so, that means the Le Pen all along was a Socialist pretending to be far rightwing, so as to give the right a bad name while ensuring that no rightist ever won any office

[SAJ]

The ‘left-right’ schema in France is meaningless, has been for decades. Le Pen is as much a collectivist and totalitarian wannabe as any politician could be. The reason he is labelled ‘rightist’ is because he is an ardent nationalist, whereas the various candidates of the ‘left’ have no use at all for nationalism.

[Nextrush]

I think everyone in France is a socialist of some sort with the “right” and “left” being some sort of philosophical ideas detached from the welfare state system that is eternal and unchanging.

It seems we may be headed that way in this country as well.

[nativist]

Or because he is a nationalist they call him "far right" when really the "far right" and "far left" are both Socialist.

We think of being right as being limited government, low taxes, strong defense and family values. In France its probably just an anti Semite Socialist.

[Aikonaa]

If so, that means the Le Pen all along was a Socialist pretending to be far rightwing, so as to give the right a bad name while ensuring that no rightist ever won any office.

I would guess it's more about Le Pen's views on the Jooos. Sarko has a Jewish heritage from his mother's side.

[pepsi_junkie]

If so, that means the Le Pen all along was a Socialist pretending to be far rightwing, so as to give the right a bad name while ensuring that no rightist ever won any office

People think of left and right as a line with clearly defined opposite ends. But I think it is more of a circle. As you walk around it clockwise you go from more liberal to more conservative but than as you approach the top the positions begin to blur back from conservative to liberal. This is why Hitler and Stalin, supposedly polar opposites, had so many similar policies (nationalized industry, forced internment of political enemies, extensive militarization, etc). Some argue thus that Hitler was really a leftist, but I argue that at this point he (and Stalin) were both extremists at that point of the spectrum where the extremes come together and "left" and "right" dont mean anything.

So LePen is at that junction point. He has some conservative values (tough on crime) but a lot of socialistic leanings too.

[iowamark]

If so, that means the Le Pen all along was a Socialist pretending to be far rightwing

Fascists, socialists, and communists are all allies. The Nazis and communists joined together to destroy the Weimar Republic and then Hitler and Stalin joined again to start World War II.

[Cincinna]

Le Pen has been around for 50+ years in French political life.

He is a neo-fascist, racist, anti-semite.

He hates Sarko enough to support his opponent, the Socialist.

It isn’t such a big jump for le Pen. He is an admirer of Hitler and Petain. National Socialists, aka, Nazis.