The far-right National Front has moved on to the second round of a parliamentary by-election to replace disgraced former MP Jérôme Cahuzac. The victory is an embarrassing blow to the Socialist government of President François Hollande.
Jérôme Cahuzac
The far-right National Front has moved on to the second round of a parliamentary by-election to replace disgraced former MP Jérôme Cahuzac. The victory is an embarrassing blow to the Socialist government of President François Hollande.
France’s ruling Socialist Party suffered a humiliating defeat on Sunday by losing a parliamentary by-election to replace disgraced former budget minister Jérôme Cahuzac.
Socialist Bernard Barral came in third place in the poll in the south-western Lot-et-Garonne department, behind the candidate representing the far-right National Front (FN), who moves to the second round against the nominee of the right-wing Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party.
The UMP’s Jean-Louis Costes, a local mayor, won 28.7% of the vote, while the FN’s Etienne Bousquet-Cassagne (pictured left in main) claimed 26% support.
Barral took just 23.7% of ballots in an election with very low turn-out, ensuring the Socialists will lose one seat in the lower-house National Assembly, where they will nevertheless maintain an absolute majority.
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