- Title: France's Le Pen "ready" at start of election year
- Date: 4th January 2017
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (JANUARY 4, 2017) (REUTERS) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** FAR-RIGHT NATIONAL FRONT PARTY LEADER AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, MARINE LE PEN, ARRIVING TO GIVE SPEECH LE PEN SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (French) FAR-RIGHT NATIONAL FRONT PARTY LEADER AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, MARINE LE PEN, SAYING: "My campaign has been meticulously prepared and we are ready, resolute and organised. But more than just my campaign, I have also been preparing my presidency over these long months." LE PEN SEEN THROUGH CAMERA VIEWFINDER (SOUNDBITE) (French) FAR-RIGHT NATIONAL FRONT PARTY LEADER AND PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, MARINE LE PEN, SAYING: "I've seen vague candidates go by who appear then disappear. I've seen presidents who declare their candidacy, then fade away as if their term was just a political hiccup. Faced with all of that, faced with the confusion, with this politics of posturing, of appearance, my candidacy gives the French a sense of direction, a rock, something sturdy. My candidacy has depth, desire, an unfailing determination. Faced with the disorder, we have an organised campaign. A campaign in order, to put France back in order." CAMERAMAN LE PEN LEAVING
- Embargoed: 19th January 2017 11:52
- Keywords: Le Pen presidential election politics far right National Front
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA0015XO0Q4N
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: French far-right leader Marine Le Pen kicked off election year on Wednesday (January 4) with a new year speech in which she declared herself "ready" for the campaign.
The vote, over two rounds held in late April and early May, will pit the Socialists - weary and divided after five years of government - against the mainstream conservatives and Le Pen.
She is hoping a wave of populism which has seen victory for Donald Trump in the United States and a vote to leave the EU in Britain will carry her to the Elysee Palace.
"My campaign has been meticulously prepared and we are ready, resolute and organised. But more than just my campaign, I have also been preparing my presidency over these long months," she said in a new year's address to journalists.
The Socialists are currently holding a primary to pick their candidate after their deeply unpopular incumbent Francois Hollande said he would not run.
"I've seen vague candidates go by who appear then disappear. I've seen presidents who declare their candidacy, then fade away as if their term was just a political hiccup. Faced with all of that, faced with the confusion, with this politics of posturing, of appearance, my candidacy gives the French a sense of direction, a rock, something sturdy. My candidacy has depth, desire, an unfailing determination," Le Pen said.
Polls indicate that she is likely to eliminate the Socialists and make it through to the second round, but that she will lose against the newly-selected Francois Fillon representing the Les Republicains party. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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