A cluster of villages along the Swiss border were the most supportive in France of candidate Marine Le Pen. According to one mayor in the villages, fears of cultural decline and loss of social status drove young voters there to Le Pen in the first round. Swissinfo.ch reports:
This was true for Indevillers, a small village close to the Doubs River, which runs along the French-Swiss border. There, Le Pen won 40% of first-round votes.
“I have difficulty understanding the real reasons behind this protest vote,” declared local mayor, Claude Schneider. “Life here is pleasant and peaceful. Admittedly, there are limited services but you only have to drive a few kilometres to find a huge range of cultural and sporting activities.”
The mayor believes locals, especially young people, have deep fears about the future.
“Many people worry about losing their social and professional status compared to their parents’ generation. There is also a fear that French culture is becoming less dominant,” he said.
These villages will likey be the unhappiest in France today after Emmanuel Macron’s win in the runoff on Sunday. Read more here.
Marine Le Pen’s rise in ‘forgotten France’
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