French PM says ‘possible’ Le Pen could win in 2017

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BERLIN: French Prime Minister Manuel Valls said on Thursday that far-right leader Marine Le Pen had a chance at winning next year’s presidential election, boosted by the momentum of Donald Trump’s shock win in the United States.

“It’s possible,” Valls said in response to a question at an economic conference in Berlin on whether the popular candidate of France’s anti-immigration National Front could win.

Le Pen is widely tipped to reach the second round of the election on May 7, where she would face either a candidate of the left or the right.

“This means that the balance of politics will change completely,” Valls said, warning of “the danger presented by the extreme right”.