French far-right fights for parliament seats
Candidates from France's far-right National Front hit the campaign trail with a vengeance.
They have high hopes of securing the party's first seats in parliament in 26 years.
Leader Marine Le Pen took a commanding lead in the first round of parliamentary elections, calling upon the nation to ditch the euro and end immigration while tapping into unease over high unemployment and years of economic decline.
Le Pen's 22-year-old niece, Marion Marechal-Le Pen, placed first in a southern district.
She will compete with a Socialist candidate and a centre-right candidate in a three-way final round on Sunday.
(SOUNDBITE) (French) NATIONAL FRONT CANDIDATE MARION MARECHAL-LE PEN SAYING:
"I'm keeping a cool head. I've just got to keep on the campaign trail, not take anything for granted. But yes, it's looking pretty good for us."
Gilbert Collard, a prominent lawyer and recent National Front member, came in first in the southern district of Camargue.
(SOUNDBITE) (French) NATIONAL FRONT CANDIDATE GILBERT COLLARD:
"We have to struggle to prevent our country from falling into separate communities, in uncontrolled immigration, in a loss of sovereignty. It's vital that we regain control of our borders."
If Le Pen or three other fellow candidates wins, the National Front would take a seat in the lower house National Assembly for the first time since 1986.
Sarah Sheffer, Reuters
They have high hopes of securing the party's first seats in parliament in 26 years.
Leader Marine Le Pen took a commanding lead in the first round of parliamentary elections, calling upon the nation to ditch the euro and end immigration while tapping into unease over high unemployment and years of economic decline.
Le Pen's 22-year-old niece, Marion Marechal-Le Pen, placed first in a southern district.
She will compete with a Socialist candidate and a centre-right candidate in a three-way final round on Sunday.
(SOUNDBITE) (French) NATIONAL FRONT CANDIDATE MARION MARECHAL-LE PEN SAYING:
"I'm keeping a cool head. I've just got to keep on the campaign trail, not take anything for granted. But yes, it's looking pretty good for us."
Gilbert Collard, a prominent lawyer and recent National Front member, came in first in the southern district of Camargue.
(SOUNDBITE) (French) NATIONAL FRONT CANDIDATE GILBERT COLLARD:
"We have to struggle to prevent our country from falling into separate communities, in uncontrolled immigration, in a loss of sovereignty. It's vital that we regain control of our borders."
If Le Pen or three other fellow candidates wins, the National Front would take a seat in the lower house National Assembly for the first time since 1986.
Sarah Sheffer, Reuters