France in Shock as Conservative Leader Embraces Far Right
By JAMES KANTER and RICHARD PÉREZ-PEÑA
PARIS — François Fillon, the conservative candidate for the French presidency, has been a champion of the free market, a critic of the European Union and a defender of the French language.
But in a move that has shocked France, Mr. Fillon has also embraced the far right, adopting a hard-line stance on immigration and Islam that has been a hallmark of the National Front, the party of Marine Le Pen, the far-right candidate who is his main rival in the first round of the presidential election on April 23.
Mr. Fillon’s shift has been so dramatic that it has left some of his supporters questioning whether he has abandoned his conservative principles.
“I’m not sure I recognize the man I voted for,” said Jean-Pierre Raffarin, a former prime minister who is supporting Mr. Fillon. “I’m not sure he’s the same man.”
Mr. Fillon’s transformation has been aided by the rise of Ms. Le Pen, who has been able to attract voters from the center-right with her anti-immigrant and anti-Islam rhetoric.
In a speech last week, Mr. Fillon said that France was “in danger” from “Islamist fundamentalism” and that he would ban the burqa, a full-body covering worn by some Muslim women. He also said that he would expel foreigners who refused to assimilate, and that he would close mosques that preached “hatred.”
Mr. Fillon’s campaign has also been marked by a series of gaffes, including a comment that he would “clean up” the suburbs, a reference to the poor, immigrant-heavy neighborhoods that ring French cities.
The shift has been a boon for Ms. Le Pen, who has been able to portray herself as the only true conservative in the race.
“Fillon is trying to copy me,” Ms. Le Pen said in a speech on Tuesday. “But he’s not convincing anyone.”
Mr. Fillon’s campaign has said that he is simply trying to appeal to voters who are concerned about immigration and Islam.