IN THE first round of the French presidential election, more than 40 per cent of voters chose candidates at the furthest ends of the political spectrum.
However, we may be misleading ourselves to think of various political opinions as a spectrum. It is probably better to think of it as a piechart where the extremes meet. There is quite a lot of common ground when ultranationalism meets ultra-socialism, as can be evidenced not so long ago in Europe.
For this reason, the chances of far-right Front National’s Marine Le Pen winning against the independent centrist Emmanuel Macron in the run-off on May 7 shouldn’t be underestimated.
If she did win, it would drastically change the dynamics of campaigning in the final four weeks of the British general election on June 8.
GEOFF NAYLOR
Winchester
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