In the eastern French town of Seloncourt, 85-year-old widow Christiane enjoys her daily treat of sitting on a bench opposite her apartment. Her neighbor Danielle, a 75-year-old retired worker, plans to vote for the far-right Rassemblement National party in the upcoming elections. Both women cite concerns about pensions, immigration, and a desire for change as reasons for their voting choices.
Another Seloncourt resident, 76-year-old Nicole, also plans to vote for the RN party, expressing frustration with the current political landscape and a belief that things need to change. Despite Macron’s popularity in the town during the 2017 election, support for RN has grown, reflecting a broader trend in the region.
The fear that ‘what happens elsewhere will happen here’
With a significant portion of the town’s population being retirees, the appeal of RN’s platform and promises of change resonate with residents like Christiane, Danielle, and Nicole. The mayor of Seloncourt, a right-wing independent, acknowledges the town’s mood of insecurity and frustration, particularly concerning immigration and perceived economic challenges.
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