The [Political] Trap

This is part of the cover of a current French newsmagazine (posted on the side of a newsstand in Paris), vividly reflecting the current state of the contest for the president. The first round of national elections is slated for April 2012.

This surrealist reflection shows the face of Marine Le Pen, the new leader of the extreme right Front National (FN) looming over the current president, Nicolas Sarkozy, in the lower right corner. The words read: "THE TRAP: How Sarkozy Has Caused the Rise of the FN."

The reference is to recent polls which have suddenly put Marine Le Pen as a serious contender in the first round, to the extent that Sarkozy would place third if it were held now. In that case, Marine Le Pen would face the socialist candidate alone in the second round. (This would be a ghastly echo of the situation in 2002, when Jean-Marie Le Pen--Marine's father--made it into the second round against Jacques Chirac.)