Layli Foroudi & LEA GUEDJ

BOBIGNY (France) – Kab Thiam, a boxing coach, voted twice in French elections: once in 2002 in order to stop Jean-Marie Le Pen’s far-right from taking power; and another time last Sunday in favor of the candidate for president of the hard left.

The 39-year old is not planning to vote for Jean-Luc Melenchon, his favorite, but he has no plans to do so now. Both incumbent President Emmanuel Macron, and Marine Le Pen (daughter of Jean-Marie), are distasteful to him.

Thiam stated that Macron and Le Pen have the same ideas, sparring at the Mohamed Ali gym, Bobigny (an ethnically diverse northern suburb of Paris), with a young fighter.

Melenchon received 60% of the first round votes for Bobigny. This is France’s most poor administrative district Seine-Saint-Denis. His supporters from the Paris suburbs, and elsewhere will play a crucial role in determining an attractive runoff.

Thiam is one of many who feel France has turned more Islamophobic since the Macron government passed numerous laws and measures to combat religious extremism.

A perception that Macron is “president-of-the rich” and distant from people exists because of his right-wing economic policies. This seems to be stopping another united front against far right as has happened in previous votes and could cause the lowest turnout for decades, according polls.

A Reuters analysis showed that he was unable to attract support in low income areas. He will also have difficulty reaching out voters who are not educated and residing in cities.

But, Macron is forecast to win the election by a small margin.

Macron was elected to the runoff in 2017 between the two same candidates. This is 79% more than the 66% national average.

Jean-Yves Dormagen of the University of Montpellier, said, “Macron has become polarizing” in these areas, because he’s seen as favoring the rich and on the left. Le Pen is, however, less frightening than her father.”

She has made every effort to make her identity topic more inclusive and she appears reasonable.

“I LOOK AT MY POCKETS”

Sami Mahdjoub was a child and would bring his son to Thiam’s to box. He remembers his parents telling him how Jean-Marie Le Pen used Jean-Marie Le Pen as a way to get their son to be a good boy.

The 38-year old Franco-Algerian stated that he doesn’t view Le Pen as a threat anymore.

Mahdjoub declared, “I don’t listen what she has to say, I see what’s left and I have nothing with Macron.” It will be even better with Le Pen. “I don’t know.”

Melenchon told his supporters to not vote for far-right parties, but he hasn’t endorsed Macron. On Saturday, his party will hold an online poll on its position. The results are expected on Saturday.

Sabine Rubin is a Melenchon lawmaker from Seine-Saint-Denis who said that she understands the reluctance of Macron supporters.

“They see public services disappear, their own purchasing power dropping … the abandonment of these neighbourhoods is not new but now there is disdain on top of that,” she said.

Rubin referenced past comments Macron made about joblessness, such as the comment to one man who said that he only needed to “cross the street” to get work.

Many find Le Pen, and her extreme right Rassemblement National Party unpalatable.

Melenchon voter Emma D’Angelo, an unemployed graduate from Bondy, cried at the results of the first round and considered burning her electoral card. She has since come to terms with the notion of voting Macron.

For students, it is like choosing between the plague cholera. D’Angelo (22), who applied for master’s programs, said that while we don’t expect anything from him, but we’re going vote for him.

Carlos Tavares (another coach at Mohamed Ali gym) said that he grew up fearful of Le Pen, far-right skinheads and was surprised to hear friends might withhold their votes.

“To vote blankly or to abstain. What game are we playing? Marine Le Pen is what we are talking about. He said, “It’s scary and aberrant for me.”