English: 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)

English: Jean-Marie Le Pen speaking at his National Front party’s annual tribute to Joan of Arc in Paris. Français : Jean-Marie Le Pen à la tribune lors du défilé du Front National en l’honneur de Jeanne d’Arc. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is a must-read article from EurActiv, citing latest research that the National Front is likely to dominate France’s local elections.

via National Front likely to emerge as first force in French local elections | EurActiv.

This is an important indicator to watch, with European politics being increasingly polarized towards both the  extreme-right and the hard far-left. Because of excessive austerity and millions of young people without work, there has been a massive loss of confidence in the political classes who dominate the central ground. Having recently completed Margaret Macmillan‘s excellent book entitled the ‘Peacemakers: The Paris Peace Conference of 1919 and its attempt to end the War’, this is deeply worrying.

Surely a National Front government in France would lead once again to Europe’s destruction?

Thoughts?