VOA标准英语2008年-French Far-Right Political Movement Struggles f

French political parties are hosting a series of meetings, in the coming weeks, to mark the new political season. That includes the National Front Party - the most popular far-right movement of any major European Union nation. Six years ago, the anti-immigration party shocked the nation when its leader placed second in presidential elections. But, as Lisa Bryant reports from Paris, if the party is down, it is not out of the French political landscape.

These should be good times for the National Front party. Conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy is struggling in the polls, the economy is stumbling and illegal immigration - a key campaign theme for the far-right French party which wants to end immigration altogether - also worries many French.

Instead, the National Front is split internally and struggling to survive. It received slightly more than 10 percent of the vote in last year's presidential elections - one of its poorest showings in recent years. In this year's regional elections, it failed to capture a single seat.

Nonna Meyer, a political sociology analyst¹ at Paris-based research center CEVIPOV, says the Front's octogenarian leader, Jean-Marie Le Pen, seems like a has-been.
　
Jean-Marie Le Pen gestures as he delivers speech following march during annual party's celebration of Joan of Arc in Paris, 1 May 2008

"There is not so much opportunity, at the present time, for Jean-Marie Le Pen - even though ideally the context is for him because there is discontent, dissatisfaction with the economic situation," said Meyer.

The party is also about $13 million in debt from paying off campaign expenses of its candidates. It has slashed² its staff and put Le Pen's bullet-proof car and the party headquarters up for sale. This month, it found a buyer for the building, located in the affluent³ Paris suburb of Saint Cloud - a Chinese university which is reported to be paying up to $22 million.

During an interview at his family home, Le Pen refused to admit defeat - or retirement⁴ any time soon.

Mr. Le Pen says politics is like sports - there are ups and downs for all parties. And, he points to low periods for France's Socialist⁵ and Communist parties. He says his National Front party is the only one representing true French nationalism.

At 80 years old, Mr. Le Pen is the oldest party leader in France. His political life has surpassed many of his competitors. He is still vigorous and combative⁶, but somewhat mellower⁷ than in the past. One far-right rival, Bruno Megret, who split from Le Pen a few years ago, criticized him this year as being too politically correct.
　
Nicolas Sarkozy

But Mr. Le Pen has not softened⁸ when it comes to many of his favorite themes - like cracking down on immigration and crime. And, criticizing French President Nicolas Sarkozy. He says Mr. Sarkozy is a disappointment who has failed to keep his promises. He accuses the president of being too European and of deceiving his electorate⁹.

Mr. Le Pen was re-elected as his party's leader last November - and he does not appear to be contemplating¹⁰ retirement any time soon. The Front is divided over who will succeed him - either his long-time deputy and fellow hard-liner Bruno Megret or Le Pen's youngest daughter, Marine¹¹, who has injected a note of youth and softness to the party.

"The problems is he's getting old - their leader Jean-Marie Le Pen. And, the party is completely divided on his succession - will it be his daughter, Marine Le Pen, who has appeal of the media? But the old party members contest her leadership, so that's a real problem - what's going to happen there. And, also for quite a while the party has been dwindling¹² down to nothing. And, there is a moment when you cannot win elections when there is no staff behind you, when the activists¹³ are gone," said analyst Nonna Meyer.

The National Front has faced hard times before. It split in the late 1990s. Le Pen himself has stirred anger in France for controversial remarks - like calling the Holocaust¹⁴ a "detail" in World War II, 20 years ago. He got heavily fined for that remark. He sparked new furor¹⁵ this year by repeating it. Critics also say he is racist¹⁶ - which he denies.

Across Europe, far-right parties have mixed support. They maintain a presence in countries like Switzerland, the Netherlands and Austria. Recent polls show the far right Sweden Democrats¹⁷ will earn the four percent of votes needed to enter the Swedish parliament in the next elections, in 2010.

In France, Le Pen believes his party's values - of family and patriotism¹⁸ - will always resonate.

But Meyer believes French are looking elsewhere. They may be disenchanted with the government - but that may be translated into rejecting politics altogether - or being attracted by the rising young star of the far left, Olivier Besancenot.

 

1 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

2 slashed   

v.挥砍( slash的过去式和过去分词 )；鞭打；割破；削减

参考例句：

• Someone had slashed the tyres on my car. 有人把我的汽车轮胎割破了。
• He slashed the bark off the tree with his knife. 他用刀把树皮从树上砍下。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

4 retirement   

n.退休，退职

参考例句：

• She wanted to enjoy her retirement without being beset by financial worries.她想享受退休生活而不必为金钱担忧。
• I have to put everything away for my retirement.我必须把一切都积蓄起来以便退休后用。

5 socialist   

n.社会主义者；adj.社会主义的

参考例句：

• China is a socialist country,and a developing country as well.中国是一个社会主义国家，也是一个发展中国家。
• His father was an ardent socialist.他父亲是一个热情的社会主义者。

6 combative   

adj.好战的；好斗的

参考例句：

• Mr. Obama has recently adopted a more combative tone.奥巴马总统近来采取了一种更有战斗性的语调。
• She believes that women are at least as combative as are.她相信女性至少和男性一样好斗。

7 mellower   

成熟的( mellow的比较级 )； （水果）熟透的； （颜色或声音）柔和的； 高兴的

参考例句：

• He's got mellower as he's got older. 随着年龄的增长，他变得更成熟了。
• Mellow She used to have a fierce temper, but she's got mellower as she's got older. 她以前脾气暴躁，但随着年龄的增长，她变得较为成熟了。

8 softened   

（使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰

参考例句：

• His smile softened slightly. 他的微笑稍柔和了些。
• The ice cream softened and began to melt. 冰淇淋开始变软并开始融化。

9 electorate   

n.全体选民；选区

参考例句：

• The government was responsible to the electorate.政府对全体选民负责。
• He has the backing of almost a quarter of the electorate.他得到了几乎1/4选民的支持。

10 contemplating   

深思，细想，仔细考虑( contemplate的现在分词 )； 注视，凝视； 考虑接受（发生某事的可能性）； 深思熟虑，沉思，苦思冥想

参考例句：

• You're too young to be contemplating retirement. 你考虑退休还太年轻。
• She stood contemplating the painting. 她站在那儿凝视那幅图画。

11 marine   

adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵

参考例句：

• Marine creatures are those which live in the sea. 海洋生物是生存在海里的生物。
• When the war broke out,he volunteered for the Marine Corps.战争爆发时，他自愿参加了海军陆战队。

12 dwindling   

adj.逐渐减少的v.逐渐变少或变小( dwindle的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The number of wild animals on the earth is dwindling. 地球上野生动物的数量正日渐减少。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He is struggling to come to terms with his dwindling authority. 他正努力适应自己权力被削弱这一局面。 来自辞典例句

13 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

14 holocaust   

n.大破坏；大屠杀

参考例句：

• The Auschwitz concentration camp always remind the world of the holocaust.奥辛威茨集中营总是让世人想起大屠杀。
• Ahmadinejad is denying the holocaust because he's as brutal as Hitler was.内贾德否认大屠杀，因为他像希特勒一样残忍。

15 furor   

n.狂热；大骚动

参考例句：

• His choice of words created quite a furor.他的措辞引起了相当大的轰动。
• The half hour lecture caused an enormous furor.那半小时的演讲引起了极大的轰动。

16 racist   

n.种族主义者，种族主义分子

参考例句：

• a series of racist attacks 一连串的种族袭击行为
• His speech presented racist ideas under the guise of nationalism. 他的讲话以民族主义为幌子宣扬种族主义思想。

17 democrats   

n.民主主义者，民主人士( democrat的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The Democrats held a pep rally on Capitol Hill yesterday. 民主党昨天在国会山召开了竞选誓师大会。
• The democrats organize a filibuster in the senate. 民主党党员组织了阻挠议事。 来自《简明英汉词典》

18 patriotism   

n.爱国精神，爱国心，爱国主义

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• They obtained money under the false pretenses of patriotism.他们以虚伪的爱国主义为借口获得金钱。