Status: 11/30/2021 1:33 p.m.
The right-wing ex-journalist Zemmour wants to become France’s new president. He announced that he would run against incumbent Macron in April next year. In surveys, however, he is only in third place so far.
Right-wing publicist Eric Zemmour wants to run for the French presidential election in April 2022. In a video message published on online platforms, the 63-year-old said he had decided to run in order to “save” France. Zemmour has long been considered a potential challenger to incumbent Emmanuel Macron.
In an email he informed his supporters about the upcoming candidacy. “So far it has only been a warm-up. The real race begins,” it said.
The former journalist, known for his strict anti-migration policies, had dominated the primaries with his polarizing language and demeanor. “We are a great people. We do not allow ourselves to be exchanged, we do not allow ourselves to be colonized,” said Zemmour in the video published on his YouTube channel.
Zemmour represents “popular exchange” myth
He represents the myth of the “great exchange”, which is widespread in right-wing extremist circles, according to which the European population is supposedly replaced by Muslim migrants and their descendants. The former journalist, who comes from an Algerian-Jewish family, has been stirring up the primary campaign in France for weeks.
Third place in recent polls
In the polls, he temporarily overtook right-wing populist politician Marine Le Pen. Recently, however, his campaign stalled. According to a poll published on Sunday, he would get 14 to 15 percent of the vote in the first ballot, while Le Pen got around 19 percent. Incumbent Macron can therefore hope for 25 percent. The first round of voting is scheduled for April 10th. The runoff election between the two top-ranked candidates is scheduled for April 24th.
Sentenced for sedition
The right-wing populist, who has already been convicted of sedition, is due to appear on TF1’s newscast tonight – a common move for presidential candidates.
Only at the weekend had Zemmour caused another scandal. After a campaign appearance in Marseille, he was photographed making the same insulting and obscene gesture to a protester who showed him the middle finger. Zemmour recently had problems with the tabloid magazine “Closer”. He sued the magazine for claiming that its main political adviser was expecting him to have a child.