Skip to content
  • Image
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Youtube
  • Podcasts
  • Email
  • Contact
  • Home
  • Opinion
  • News
  • Features
  • Comment
  • Store
The Arab Daily News

The Arab Daily News

Original news, features, opinions from Chicago to Jerusalem

  • About
    • About
    • Our Writers
    • Subscribe to Ray’s Columns
    • Book Store
    • Contact
    • Submit Book Reviews, Press Releases
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Corrections Policy
    • Profile on Ray Hanania
    • Submit Press Release
  • Features
    • Food
    • Book Review
    • Humor
    • Movies
    • Travel
  • Arab Stores Targeted
  • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Community Network Page
    • Arab Heritage America resources
    • Directory
      • Groups & Organizations
      • Mosques, Churches
      • Restaurants
      • 2008 & 2014 Arab Media Directories
    • National Arab Heritage Month
    • Video: Chicago Arab History
    • Video: Photo Array of Chicago Arabs
    • Overview of Arabs in America
    • Hanania standup comedy
    • Arabs on the Titanic
    • Obituaries
  • Podcasts
    • Arab News Ray Hanania Radio
    • Ray Hanania on Politics Podcast
    • Podcast Info
    • Hanania Podcast intro
    • Live Arab Radio
  • Your Views
  • Hanania on Tiktok
  • Toggle search form
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12 American Arabs
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd American Arabs
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action American Arabs
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022 Activism
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast Arab News
  • State Rep. Cyril Nichols interviewed on live Arab American radio in Detroit with host Ray Hanania Friday Dec. 9, 2022
    Nichols discusses need to improve Arab-Black relations in Chicagoland American Arabs
  • Voting sticker issued to voters in Cook County elections in 2016. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Gov. Pritzker Announces Six Appointments to Boards and Commissions — no Arabs included American Arabs
  • Closure notice posted on the doors and windows of Arab American businesses during Mayor Lori Lightfoot's closure of Arab owned stores in June - Sept. 2021. Photo courtesy of Ray Hanania
    Pritzker again ignores needs of Arab businesses in latest appointments Activism
  • Arab American Democratic Club (AADC) official candidate endorsements for the November 8, 2022 General elections.
    Arab American Democratic Club issues endorsements for Nov. 8, 2022 Cook County Illinois elections Activism
  • Arab Democrats urge NO VOTE on Gov. J.B. Pritzker re-election bid Activism
  • Assyrian American GOP issues endorsements in Nov, 8, 2022 elections
    Assyrian American GOP group endorses candidates in Illinois Activism
  • Abdullah Hammoud, elected Mayor of Dearborn Nov. 2, 2021. Photo courtesy of Abdullah Hammoud Facebook Page
    AHRC’s 2022 Spirit of Humanity Gala a Great Success American Arabs
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts Arab World
  • Rep. Cyril Nichols to be feted by supporters at fundraiser Saturday Oct. 22 Activism
  • Stand up For Human Rights website, United Nations
    UN experts condemn Israel’s ‘sadistic’ punitive measures against French-Palestinian rights defender Salah Hammouri Activism
Marine Le Pen, French presidential candidate

Fillon Believes in God’s Providence, Marine Believes in White People’s Dominance

Posted on March 16, 2017March 16, 2017 By Abdennour Toumi No Comments on Fillon Believes in God’s Providence, Marine Believes in White People’s Dominance
SHARE ...
          
 
  

  • Tweet

Fillon Believes in God’s Providence, Marine Believes in White People’s Dominance

The voters are more attracted by a populist and a messianic message; anti-Islam/Arab immigrant sentiment is the catch-phrase of LR and the FN candidates.

By Abdennour Toumi

As the major candidates in the coming French Presidential election are warming up for the debate, they will be facing 18 million voters, the Parisian media and the French elite. The candidates, however, are feeling the Mistral in the Midi, the  vines’ bourgeoning  leaves in the Aquitaine and wind storms on the Normandy beaches. 

By the time the storm has cooled off, France will have a clearer picture about who is going to replace President Hollande in May.

The candidates have been polishing their programs, their T.V. network/radio appearances and home-town meetings because what interests the voters are the candidates’ proposed public policies and solutions to the on-going French slump.  It is a heterogeneous field of candidates, a mosaic of programs — from racist-dystopian to social-democrat pragmatists, lefty delusionists to divine social and societal policy candidates.

A new generation of candidates are really shaping France’s politics and creating a new paradigm for the political parties and the exercise of democracy.

Nonetheless, the classic electoral dispute “left vs. right” seems to be evaporating in this election, since the voters are more attracted by a populist and a messianic message; anti-Islam/Arab immigrant sentiment is the catch-phrase of LR and the FN candidates.

Thus the French conventional right with its centrist moderates is lost in the message and the forced passage of Mr. Fillon, who thinks vehemently that he is God’s providential candidate, the LR candidate who is facing a full judicial inquiry into the so-called”Penelope Clark-gate.”

English: Marine Le Pen at the 1st of May Natio...
Marine Le Pen at the 1st of May National Front’s rally in honour of Joan of Arc, Paris. Français : Marine Le Pen au défilé du Front national en l’honneur de Jeanne d’Arc, le 1er mai. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Up until last month, candidate Fillon believed strongly that French conservative and the Christian right would elect him to become France’s eighth President of the Fifth Republic.

However, according to the latest French polls, he is in third position at the finishing line of the race in the April 22nd first round; hence he will be disqualified, leaving his party leaders and the LR moderate voters wondering about the candidate’s credibility and eventual victory. In this stance, French MP members are asking him to withdraw from the race.

An electorate fiasco that candidate Fillon created, when he portrayed himself in the primaries as Mr. Clean of France’s politics, public service and the establishment.

Yet the dichotomy between classic candidates and “anti-system” populist candidates has allowed major candidates in this election to present a populist message in order to seduce an electorate disenchanted with corrupt politicians — consequently, a large majority of voters in the wake of the Paris and Nice attacks don’t care anymore about a political party or an ideology.

Embed from Getty Images

French leftists are the voice of moderation endorsing a young candidate, Mr. Macron, the social-liberal candidate. Former union militants are endorsing a racist antisocial program policy candidate, and the House Speaker is throwing his party’s candidate, Mr. Hamon, off the cliff.

This historical presidential campaign narrative is obscuring the candidates’ public policies programs. For instance, one has seen the FN and LR candidates employ the Arab and Muslim immigrants/Salafism card as a cause of France’s malaise. 

This in response to the Arab and Muslim electorate which has very little if any direct influence on the election’s outcome, unlike the Armenian and Jewish votes, by far smaller than the Muslim/Arab vote but semantically efficient enough.

Meanwhile France’s far and “moderate” right candidates do their best to sound like best friends of Israel and voice anti-Turkish sentiment. Yet the FN and LR candidates are using Arabs and Muslims as a scapegoat.

Not to mention their timid foreign policy program and objectives vis-à-vis MENA, in this case, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have become a direct object sentence in Mr. Fillon’s Middle East foreign Policy catch-phrase line. Like the darling girl of the FN and the racist French right subject, verb, Qatar…

This off-center strategy creates a psychological advantage for the candidates to appeal to a group of voters or virtually to show as the toughest candidate in the field in terms of national security and French protectionism.

Embed from Getty Images

How the French right and far-right candidates joke about it as if they are joking about the smell of a brie or camembert cheese plate! Candidate Fillon sees his foreign policy determinants from the apocalyptic perspective with Arab and Muslim countries. He is following the Moscow direction on the Syrian civil war dossier, insisting on strong protection and favoring a massive exodus of the Levant Christians to Europe whom he believes are unjustly persecuted.

The Republicans’ base seems confused like their candidates between pragmatism and principles. Ironically the “pragmatists” are leaning toward the far-right, sometimes discrediting their own political achievement. Such is the case of Mr. Fillon, a mainstream conservative, who is strategically swerving to the far-right of the party after his decent performance as a moderate Prime Minister in the Sarkozy administration and public servant for three decades under the aegis of his mentor Philippe Séguin, a center-right Gaullist and Chiraquian.

Ms. Le Pen, on the other hand, appeals to the social and white Christian hard-liners, who share her unwavering emphasis on family and conservative values, who believe in a clash of civilization and an ideological foreign policy.

Nevertheless, the majority of French don’t believe in crusading terms, or faith-based foreign policy or even in public policies — after all, most French don’t care about what is happening outside the Hexagon. Mainly they are worried about their monthly paychecks and shopping-cart groceries, particularly in the heartland of the country.

Or the notion of a dystopian project presented by the FN candidate, i.e., French-exit from the E.U., going back to the French franc currency, cutting off all social services to Arab and Muslim immigrants and creating more jobs in national police. 

Whereas the Republican candidate wants to reform the French social security system and cut five hundred thousand posts in public servant services in five years though his program is facing a serious challenge from the far-right candidate.

The French want credible candidates with viable programs that can get them out of their slump and answer their needs; as far as foreign policy goes, the Republicans, ex-UMP, as Socialists have expert scholars and diplomats who have worked under Republican and Socialist presidents alike, but who don’t share an apocalyptic foreign policy stance and a multi-culturalism clash in France’s suburbs, a scenario dear to Éric Zemmour, the French Sean Hannity.

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Abdennour Toumi
Follow me:
Abdennour Toumi
Abdennour Toumi:
- France correspondent for The Arab Daily News.
- www.bareed-areej.com Editor-in-Chief
رئيس تحرير مجلة بريد الأريج
- Political consultant at IMPR a Think-Tank based in Ankara, Turkey.
- Member at the European Observatory for Arabic Language Teaching based in Paris, France.
- Affiliated with Sociology of Islam Journal and contributor at Middle East Studies / International Studies, Sociology of Islam and Muslim Societies Center, Portland State University in Portland, OR.

EDUCATION: Diplôme des Études Approfondies (DEA) in Political Science from Toulouse University I, France. Master’s degree in Law from Algiers University, Algeria.

Email im at: nourhty@gmail.com
Abdennour Toumi
Follow me:
Latest posts by Abdennour Toumi (see all)
  • The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: Is the Neither-Peace-nor-Security As-sumption Dominating Again? - June 7, 2021
  • Algeria: “I Can See Clearly Now” - August 5, 2019
  • Majesty Mohammed VI and General Gaïd Salah Tear Down This Wall! - July 29, 2019

  • Tweet

SHARE ...
          
 
  
 
          
 
 Tweet 
Abdennour Toumi, Arab World, Bloggers, Christian & Muslim, Commentary, Europe, Middle East, Paris, Politics, religion Tags:berqa, elections, European Union, Fillon, France, François Fillon, Francois Hollande, Hijab, Islam, Marine Le Pen, Muslims, politics, President Hollande

Post navigation

Previous Post: Israel’s rejection of Arafat Street reflects rejection of peace
Next Post: The Crone, Iraq and a Cool Cat

Related Posts

  • Ambassador Edward M. Gabriel is the former U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco
    ATFL and MEI Brief State Department on Lebanon Policy Recommendations American Arabs
  • Riseup Radio talkshow host Rush Darwish
    Darwish slams Lipinski silence on BDS, praises Congressmen Rush and Garcia American Arabs
  • Christmas Message To Mr. Trump From a Palestinian Christian and a USA Citizen of Conscience Arab World
  • Refugee child. Photo courtesy of the American Foundation for Relief and Reconciliation, FRRME
    Refugee group expresses concerns for rising need in Syria Arab World
  • Palestinian activists Moheyaldeen Dabbah and MK Haneen Zoubi at the Chicago event at Alhambra Palce which featured an appearance by Congressman Luis Gutierrez
    Gutierrez stands with Palestinian activist Haneen Zoubi American Arabs
  • Olympic politics and the Arab World Arab World

More Related Articles

Christians denounce Cairo church bombing Arab World
Arab Palestinian Investment Company – APIC Issues 35 Million US Dollars Bonds Arab World
Maen Alhusseini Berqas and the Tolerant Letterboxes Arab World
University of Illinois Board formally votes to deny Salaita hiring American Arabs
Sarah Gad running for Congress in the Illinois 1st District. Egyptian American Sarah Gad seeking Democratic nomination for Congress in 1st District American Arabs
AAI President Jim Zogby addresses the 19th Annual Spirit of Humanity Awards Banquet AAI President Jim Zogby offers compelling reason to support Joe Biden American Arabs

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

  • OPINION COLUMNS
  • Tiktok.com/@RayHanania
    Israeli-push behind effort to ban Tiktok in the United States
    January 19, 2023
  • Ghassan Rubeiz
    To what extent is Hezbollah responsible for the current crisis in Lebanon?
    January 17, 2023
  • Image from Rashid-al-Din Hamadani's "A Compendium of Chronicles. Image courtesy of Wikipedia
    Why allow religious extremists to re-define Islam in the West?
    January 10, 2023
  • CAIR Executive Director and co-founder Nihad Awad
    This Thanksgiving, let’s use our Blessings for good
    November 23, 2022
  • NEWS
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd
    January 12, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action
    January 11, 2023
  • Citgo Gas Station and Quik Mart at 3759 W. Chicago Ave in Chicago ordered closed by Mayor Lori Lightfoot because a street gang member with an AK-47 killed someone in front of the store. Only Arab and Muslim stores are being closed by the Mayor
    When Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot targeted Arab businesses in 2021 and 2022
    January 4, 2023
  • NEWSWIRE
  • Arab Democratic Club Feb 12, 2023 Forum & Brunch flier
    Arab Democrats host forum for Chicago and suburban candidates Feb. 12
    January 18, 2023
  • The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) announced Dr. Manal Fakhoury has been elected to the position of Chair of the National Board of Directors, and that attorneys Spojmie Nasiri of California and John Floyd of Texas have joined the organization’s National Board.
    CAIR Announces Dr. Manal Fakhoury as New Board Chair, New Board Members Spojmie Nasiri and John Floyd
    January 12, 2023
  • AHRC Executive Director Imad Hamad
    AHRC: Honor Dr. King Day with Civility, Unity, and Action
    January 11, 2023
  • Stand up For Human Rights website, United Nations
    UN experts condemn Israel’s ‘sadistic’ punitive measures against French-Palestinian rights defender Salah Hammouri
    October 19, 2022

Creative Commons License
All work on this website is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. Do not edit original work. Give credit to the original source.

  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Sices-Ad.jpg
  • ZiyadBrandLogo-2016BlackRedBackgrnd.jpg
  • 08-09-21-Ziyad-Ad-Pantry-essentials.jpg
  • BOOK REVIEWS
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib, book cover. Photo courtesy of Cune Press
    Stories My Father Told Me by author and artist Helen Zughaib
    November 1, 2021
  • ENTERTAINMENT
  • Hussam al-Mayman, The Mayman Show, podcast Arab News
    Arab News launches third season of The Mayman Show podcast
    December 15, 2022
  • Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    Interlink 2022 Cookbooks Make the Best Holiday Gifts
    October 24, 2022
  • Comedian Ramy Youssef courtesy of his Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/ramysfaceboo/
    “Ramy” cable series melds Arab world reality with every day American life
    October 22, 2022
  • The Ray Hanania Radio Show Live Wed 5 PM EST in Detroit, Washington DC, Ontario and on Thursday in Chicago. Watch the program live at Facebook.com/ArabNews
    Second Season of “The Ray Hanania Show” Arab American radio launches April 6
    April 4, 2022
  • American Arab CHamber President HassanNijem accepts the Proclamation from Chicago Ald. Roderick Sawyer at the Chamber dinner March 30, 2022
    Chicagoland celebrates Arab American Heritage Month
    March 31, 2022
  • New-iTunes-1400-x-1400-The-Ray-Hanania-Show-Podcast-Icon-300-x-300.jpg
  • The-Kings-Pawn-Book-300-x-300.png
  • Podcast-iTunes-Logo-Chi-City-Hall-1985.jpg
  • powerpr300x300ad.jpg
  • terroristbookcover-300-x-300.jpg
Arab News Newspaper Logo
Read the Arab News, the leading English language newspaper in the MIddle East

Follow Ray Hanania at Gab.com, MeWe.com and IDobbinate.com, the alternatives to Facebook and Twitter Censorship.

Click here to get information on The Ray Hanania Radio Show and its podcasts

Copyright © 2023 The Arab Daily News.

Powered by PressBook Premium theme