ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the events happened in the National Front (NF) during 1987–1995. In the first round of the April 1988 presidential election, President Mitterrand won. After the election Mitterrand dissolved the National Assembly and called for new legislative elections. Because proportional representation had been replaced by the traditional two-ballot, single-member constituency system in 1986, the Front's thirty-five seats in the National Assembly were under threat. Le Pen was able to oppose French participation in the 1990 Gulf War and yet maintain his image as an ardent supporter of the French military. By opposing the war, Le Pen could pretend to play the role of a statesman ready to step onto the world stage. The presidential and municipal elections of 1995 were major landmarks for the National Front. Le Pen's 15 percent score on the first round of the presidential election reaffirmed the fact that the National Front is a major force in French politics.
