Support NeoGAF

[Mass_Pincup]

Mr Valls will face other contenders in the Socialist primary next month.
If successful, he will be set to face Francois Fillon and Marine Le Pen in the first round of the presidential election in April.
Current polling suggest that Ms Le Pen, leader of the far-right Front National, could come in the top two in the first round, but would be likely to lose to the centre-right Mr Fillon in the second.

Analysts say Mr Valls may be damaged by his close association with Mr Hollande, France's least popular leader in recent history.
However, he used Monday's speech to call on the left to rally behind him - and against the threat of the far right.
"My candidacy is that of conciliation," Mr Valls promised.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-38215328

For those who don't know him:

Like Mr Sarkozy when he was interior minister, Mr Valls became identified with expulsions of jobless Roma (foreign Gypsies) living in makeshift camps on the margins of French cities. He was also quick to visit crime scenes - "a very Sarkozy-like habit", according to Europe 1 radio.
This Sarkozy comparison, Mr Valls once said, "doesn't bother me if it refers to his energy and combative spirit

His tough policies can be seen running back through his career in Socialist politics, which began at the age of 17, even before he had obtained his French citizenship.
As mayor from 2001 to 2012 of one of France's poorest towns, Evry in the southern suburbs of Paris, he campaigned against halal supermarkets in the town, arguing that they were divisive.
Dismissed by the Socialist left as a social democrat like Britain's former Prime Minister Tony Blair, he won just 6% of the vote at the Socialist presidential primaries in 2011, trailing Mr Montebourg who took 17%.
The kind of anti-globalisation advocated by Mr Montebourg was an "ideological simplification which nurtures fears", Mr Valls argued at the time.
Having the two in government together was never going to be easy.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26820902

Expect a lot of backtracking from his "islamophobia is just a trojan horse from the salafists" kind of talk he used to spew before. He's already saying that his candidacy is one of reconciliation and that he's had enough of stigmatising our muslims compatriots.

Lock if old.

 

[Mass_Pincup]

Bump?

 

[azyless]

Well he's not Hollande at least. Still not expecting him to get much in the 1st round (I imagine he'll win the primary though).

 

[Bonen no Max'd]

This guy is a Third Wayer right? Do people associate him with Hollande or does he have any first round chances?

 

[NYCmetsfan]

he goes left and fillion goes after le penn's base leaving her in 3rd?

one can hope

 

[teacupcopter]

The left is so divided worldwide, so few options that people are happy to rally around. I hope France comes out of this election relatively unharmed, but I just wonder what the past few years of such awful terrorism has done to the public view.

 

[azyless]

This guy is a Third Wayer right? Do people associate him with Hollande or does he have any first round chances?

Uh I'm not really clear on what a Third Wayer is but I guess he could fit there yeah. Last poll I saw put him in 5th place behind Fillon, Le pen, Macron and Melenchon, so no I doubt he has any 1st round chance. The left doesn't particularly like him and everyone's a bit fed up with the left atm anyway.