MICHAEL Mc LOUGHLIN,
Sir, - The performance of Jean-Marie Le Pen in the French presidential elections is a matter of concern to everyone in Europe who values democracy, human rights and tolerance.
Mr Le Pen is on record as supporting mass forced deportations unseen since the second World War. He promotes a vision of a society turned against itself and against anybody who does not conform with his supremacist views.
It is vital that the people of Europe take a stand against any legitimisation of the far right. Le Pen could be accepted as a legitimate head of state by any other European government.
Regardless of the likelihood of Mr Le Pen succeeding on the second ballot, it is now that leaders must take a stand against him.
All political leaders in this country must now state publicly that they will not countenance any dealings with Mr Le Pen, should he be elected, and that he will be completely isolated by democratic leaders. This is a time for leadership from democrats. - Yours, etc.,
MICHAEL Mc LOUGHLIN, International Secretary, The Labour Party, Dublin 2.
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Sir, - As an Irish national living and working in France for the past 12 years, I feel obliged to try to explain to my compatriots the result of the first round of the presidential elections.
There seems to be an upsurge of hysteria which risks giving this event and Jean-Marie Le Pen much more importance than is merited. Of the 16 candidates in the election, Mr Le Pen did not gain much more than his usual core vote. His presence in the second round is largely a result of a bland campaign and the failure of the French left to produce a bit of Gallic passion.
I can bet my bottom euro that voter apathy will not prevail in the second round, and the French will show the rest of Europe that they would rather go through a second revolution than see Jean-Marie Le Pen as president. - Yours, etc.,
AMANDA LANOË, Chamigny, France.