{"id":642,"date":"2017-04-24T07:16:00","date_gmt":"2017-04-24T05:16:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michelgurfinkiel.com\/blog\/?p=642"},"modified":"2021-01-14T21:12:20","modified_gmt":"2021-01-14T20:12:20","slug":"gurfinkiel-in-the-algemeiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/michelgurfinkiel.com\/blog\/en\/gurfinkiel-in-the-algemeiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Gurfinkiel in The Algemeiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"vertical-align: inherit;\"><span style=\"vertical-align: inherit;\"><\/p>\n<p><style type=&quot;text\/css&quot;>\n<!--\n \/* Font Definitions *\/\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Times;\n\tpanose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;\n\tmso-font-charset:0;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Cambria;\n\tpanose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;\n\tmso-font-charset:0;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}\n \/* Style Definitions *\/\np.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal\n\t{mso-style-parent:&quot;&quot;;\n\tmargin:0cm;\n\tmargin-bottom:.0001pt;\n\tmso-pagination:widow-orphan;\n\tfont-size:12.0pt;\n\tfont-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\n\tmso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\n\tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;\n\tmso-fareast-language:EN-US;}\n@page Section1\n\t{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;\n\tmargin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt;\n\tmso-header-margin:36.0pt;\n\tmso-footer-margin:36.0pt;\n\tmso-paper-source:0;}\ndiv.Section1\n\t{page:Section1;}\n-->\n<\/style>\n<\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><\/p>\n<style type=&quot;text\/css&quot;>\n<!--\n \/* Font Definitions *\/\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Times;\n\tpanose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;\n\tmso-font-charset:0;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Cambria;\n\tpanose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;\n\tmso-font-charset:0;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}\n \/* Style Definitions *\/\np.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal\n\t{mso-style-parent:&quot;&quot;;\n\tmargin:0cm;\n\tmargin-bottom:.0001pt;\n\tmso-pagination:widow-orphan;\n\tfont-size:12.0pt;\n\tfont-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\n\tmso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\n\tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;\n\tmso-fareast-language:EN-US;}\n@page Section1\n\t{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;\n\tmargin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt;\n\tmso-header-margin:36.0pt;\n\tmso-footer-margin:36.0pt;\n\tmso-paper-source:0;}\ndiv.Section1\n\t{page:Section1;}\n-->\n<\/style>\n<\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nmso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>While Le Pen and M&eacute;lenchon are on opposite sides of the immigration debate, both politicians share the same &ldquo;authoritarian, populist, statist, anti-American and anti-globalist&rdquo; principles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><style type=&quot;text\/css&quot;>\n<!--\n \/* Font Definitions *\/\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Times;\n\tpanose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;\n\tmso-font-charset:0;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Cambria;\n\tpanose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;\n\tmso-font-charset:0;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}\n \/* Style Definitions *\/\np.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal\n\t{mso-style-parent:&quot;&quot;;\n\tmargin:0cm;\n\tmargin-bottom:.0001pt;\n\tmso-pagination:widow-orphan;\n\tfont-size:12.0pt;\n\tfont-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\n\tmso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\n\tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;\n\tmso-fareast-language:EN-US;}\n@page Section1\n\t{size:612.0pt 792.0pt;\n\tmargin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt;\n\tmso-header-margin:36.0pt;\n\tmso-footer-margin:36.0pt;\n\tmso-paper-source:0;}\ndiv.Section1\n\t{page:Section1;}\n-->\n<\/style>\n<\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><em><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nmso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>I was interviewed today by Ben Stein of The Algemeiner. Here are my answers regarding the first presidential ballot in France that took place yesterday.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><\/p>\n<style type=&quot;text\/css&quot;>\n<!--\n \/* Font Definitions *\/\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Times;\n\tpanose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;\n\tmso-font-charset:0;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Cambria;\n\tpanose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;\n\tmso-font-charset:0;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}\n \/* Style Definitions *\/\np.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal\n\t{mso-style-parent:&quot;&quot;;\n\tmargin:0cm;\n\tmargin-bottom:.0001pt;\n\tmso-pagination:widow-orphan;\n\tfont-size:12.0pt;\n\tfont-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\n\tmso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\n\tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;\n\tmso-fareast-language:EN-US;}\na:link, span.MsoHyperlink\n\t{color:blue;\n\ttext-decoration:underline;\n\ttext-underline:single;}\na:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed\n\t{mso-style-noshow:yes;\n\tcolor:purple;\n\ttext-decoration:underline;\n\ttext-underline:single;}\n@page Section1\n\t{size:595.0pt 842.0pt;\n\tmargin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt;\n\tmso-header-margin:35.4pt;\n\tmso-footer-margin:35.4pt;\n\tmso-paper-source:0;}\ndiv.Section1\n\t{page:Section1;}\n-->\n<\/style>\n<\/p>\n<p><style type=&quot;text\/css&quot;>\n<!--\n \/* Font Definitions *\/\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Times;\n\tpanose-1:2 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;\n\tmso-font-charset:0;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}\n@font-face\n\t{font-family:Cambria;\n\tpanose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;\n\tmso-font-charset:0;\n\tmso-generic-font-family:auto;\n\tmso-font-pitch:variable;\n\tmso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}\n \/* Style Definitions *\/\np.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal\n\t{mso-style-parent:&quot;&quot;;\n\tmargin:0cm;\n\tmargin-bottom:.0001pt;\n\tmso-pagination:widow-orphan;\n\tfont-size:12.0pt;\n\tfont-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\n\tmso-ascii-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-fareast-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-hansi-font-family:Cambria;\n\tmso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;\n\tmso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\n\tmso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;\n\tmso-fareast-language:EN-US;}\na:link, span.MsoHyperlink\n\t{color:blue;\n\ttext-decoration:underline;\n\ttext-underline:single;}\na:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed\n\t{mso-style-noshow:yes;\n\tcolor:purple;\n\ttext-decoration:underline;\n\ttext-underline:single;}\n@page Section1\n\t{size:595.0pt 842.0pt;\n\tmargin:70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt 70.85pt;\n\tmso-header-margin:35.4pt;\n\tmso-footer-margin:35.4pt;\n\tmso-paper-source:0;}\ndiv.Section1\n\t{page:Section1;}\n-->\n<\/style>\n<\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm;mso-outline-level:2&quot;><strong style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal&quot;><em style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-style:normal&quot;><span style=&quot;font-size:14.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-fareast-language:\nFR&quot;>French Jews Nervous About Le Pen, as Far-Right Presidential Candidate Steps Down as National Front Leader to Boost Second Round Chances<\/span><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm;mso-outline-level:2&quot;><a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/2017\/04\/24\/french-jews-nervous-about-le-pen-as-far-right-presidential-candidate-steps-down-as-national-front-leader-to-boost-second-round-chances\/&quot;><strong style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal&quot;><span style=&quot;font-size:8.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:\n10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/2017\/04\/24\/french-jews-nervous-about-le-pen-as-far-right-presidential-candidate-steps-down-as-national-front-leader-to-boost-second-round-chances\/<\/span><\/strong><\/a><strong style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal&quot; \/><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm;mso-outline-level:2&quot;><strong style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal&quot;><span style=&quot;font-size:8.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:\n10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm;mso-outline-level:4&quot;><span style=&quot;font-size:18.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt&quot;><a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.algemeiner.com\/author\/ben-cohen-alg&quot;><strong style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-weight:\nnormal&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-fareast-language:\nFR&quot;>by Ben Cohen<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/span><strong style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal&quot;><span style=&quot;font-size:18.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-fareast-language:\nFR&quot;> <\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm;mso-outline-level:4&quot;><strong style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-weight:normal&quot;><span style=&quot;font-size:18.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size:\n10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>&nbsp;<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nmso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>With the first round of France&rsquo;s presidential election over, Jewish voters are now nervously looking ahead to the final round two weeks from now that will pit independent centrist Emmanuel Macron against far-right stalwart Marine Le Pen.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nbackground:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow;mso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>A leading French Jewish political analyst told&nbsp;<em style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-style:normal&quot;>The Algemeiner&nbsp;<\/em>on Monday that the strong showing on Sunday of Jean-Luc Melenchon, the far-left candidate who came in fourth at 19.6 percent, demonstrates&nbsp;that Le Pen could yet pick up valuable support from voters disillusioned with mainstream centrist parties in the May 7 head-to-head showdown with Macron.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nbackground:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow;mso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>Michel Gurfinkiel stressed that while Le Pen and Melenchon are on opposite sides of the immigration debate, both politicians share the same &ldquo;authoritarian, populist, statist, anti-American and anti-globalist&rdquo; principles.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nbackground:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow;mso-fareast-language:FR&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-spacerun: yes&quot;>&nbsp;<\/span>&ldquo;Le Pen and Melenchon represent more than 40 percent of the vote in France,&rdquo; Gurfinkiel said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nmso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>On Monday,&nbsp;in a move aimed at broadening her voter base,&nbsp;Le Pen announced she was stepping down as leader of the National Front party.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nmso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>&ldquo;This evening I decided to take my leave of the presidency of the National Front,&rdquo; Le Pen told TV channel <em style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-style:\nnormal&quot;>France 2<\/em>. &ldquo;I will be above partisan considerations.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nmso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>She &nbsp;did not make clear whether her decision was a permanent one.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nmso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>Le Pen has invested much energy in pulling the National Front away from its historic fascist and antisemitic image, going so far as to expel her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen, in <\/span><a href=&quot;https:\/\/www.wsj.com\/articles\/jean-marie-le-pen-expelled-from-national-front-1440096805&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nmso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>August 2015<\/span><\/a><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:\n10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-fareast-language:\nFR&quot;>&nbsp;from the party he co-founded in 1972.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nmso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>On Sunday, Macron won a slender victory with 24.01&nbsp;percent of the first round vote. Le Pen came in second at 21.30 percent and Francois Fillon &mdash; of the center-right Republican party &mdash; finished third at 20.01 percent.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nmso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>French Jews who gathered in a Paris bar to watch the first round results <span style=&quot;mso-field-code:&quot;HYPERLINK \u0000022https:\/\/www.buzzfeed.com\/annabelleazade\/france-jewish-community-reacts?utm_term=.kaamM8zVo\u0000022 \\l \u0000022.foDad6K7J\u0000022 \\t \u0000022_blank\u0000022&quot;&quot;><u><span style=&quot;color:blue&quot;>told <em style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-style:normal&quot;>Buzzfeed<\/em><\/span><\/u><\/span>&nbsp;they were disappointed by what they saw as widespread public indifference to the rise of extremism in France. &ldquo;Fifteen years ago, we were in the streets, marching. Today&hellip;we do not do anything anymore and that makes me angry,&rdquo; said Dan Lutasso, a consultant. Another patron, Rabbi Moshe Lewin, warned, &ldquo;In the next two weeks, everything could change. Who knows who the Melenchon and Fillon supporters are going to vote for&hellip;They could vote for Le Pen.&rdquo;<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nmso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>Speaking to the Hebrew news site <em style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-style:\nnormal&quot;>nrg<\/em>, Rabbi Moshe Sabag of the Great Synagogue in Paris sounded more optimistic. &ldquo;We are not really under pressure from Le Pen because it is likely that Macron will win the second round,&rdquo; he&nbsp;said. Sabag added that there was general relief among French Jews that Melenchon, a vocal critic&nbsp;of Israel, did not make it to the second round.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nmso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>Meyer Habib, a Jewish parliamentarian from the center-right UDI party, used the occasion of Yom HaShoah on Monday to urge a strong turnout against Le Pen. &ldquo;Today I say unequivocally not to vote for Le Pen, even though she is less extreme than her father,&rdquo; Habib declared.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nbackground:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow;mso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>Gurfinkiel added that another key vote takes place in June, when French voters will elect the 577-seat National Assembly. That contest will determine whether Macron, should he win the second round on May 7, can form a working majority in the French parliament. If he fails to do so, Gurfinkiel said, he may have to form a government that depends on the support of&nbsp;French conservatives.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nbackground:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow;mso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>Another alternative for Macron, in Gurfinkiel&rsquo;s view, would be to hold a new snap presidential election in which the main issue&nbsp;would be whether to replace France&rsquo;s first-past-the-post electoral system with one based upon proportional representation. &ldquo;In that case, the National Front and the far-left would become full-size players,&rdquo; Gurfinkiel said.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><span style=&quot;mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Times;mso-bidi-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;\nbackground:yellow;mso-highlight:yellow;mso-fareast-language:FR&quot;>Gurfinkiel observed that a Le Pen victory next month might in fact compel Jews to remain in France, rather than emigrate en masse, as some have suggested. He cited Le Pen&rsquo;s opposition to dual nationality &mdash; some 200,000 French Jews live in Israel &mdash; and her support of strict monetary controls for those leaving France as key elements of the dilemma the community would face in the event of a Le Pen presidency.<\/span><\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot;>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot; \/><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n<style type=&quot;text\/css&quot;>\n<\/style>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;><\/p>\n<style type=&quot;text\/css&quot;>\n<\/style>\n<p class=&quot;MsoNormal&quot; style=&quot;margin-top:.1pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:.1pt;\nmargin-left:1.0cm;mso-para-margin-top:.01gd;mso-para-margin-right:0cm;\nmso-para-margin-bottom:.01gd;mso-para-margin-left:1.0cm&quot;>While Le Pen and M&eacute;lenchon are on opposite sides of the immigration debate, both politicians share the same &ldquo;authoritarian, populist, statist, anti-American and anti-globalist&rdquo; principles.<\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"http:\/\/michelgurfinkiel.com\/blog\/en\/gurfinkiel-in-the-algemeiner\/\">&nbsp;&raquo;&nbsp;Read more about: Gurfinkiel in The Algemeiner &nbsp;&raquo;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[655],"tags":[727],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/michelgurfinkiel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/642"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/michelgurfinkiel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/michelgurfinkiel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michelgurfinkiel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michelgurfinkiel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=642"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/michelgurfinkiel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/642\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2478,"href":"http:\/\/michelgurfinkiel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/642\/revisions\/2478"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/michelgurfinkiel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=642"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michelgurfinkiel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=642"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/michelgurfinkiel.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=642"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}