Right-wing populism is, to be sure, a troubling presence in British politics. There's no question that the voices of the likes of the BNP and the EDL are as persistent and as seductive as they have ever been. But if they ever seem too much for you, you only need to look across the channel for an awful warning about how much worse it could be.

For all the turmoil of recent years, the impact of the financial crisis is only just being felt

President's party divided on his strategy to court NF voters, fearing he will lose centre-right support

He would always be the President who sold his soul to remain in power

Notebook

David Cameron is yet to meet François Hollande, the front-runner to become French President, Downing Street has confirmed.

The more Nicolas Sarkozy talks the talk of the far right, the more he will alienate centrist voters

President looks isolated as Hollande is endorsed by losing candidates and influential public figures

World markets suffered a sell-off today amid fears that France and Holland will undermine a European treaty to tackle the debt crisis.

Socialist Francois Hollande has won the first round of the French presidential poll, setting up a run-off with Nicolas Sarkozy who came second, according to an exit-poll.

Economic View

After weeks of ill-tempered campaigning, the President's future looks far from certain as the country goes to the polls today

The President's team is still talking up the possibility of a narrow lead in tomorrow's first round of voting, but John Lichfield finds little to suggest his campaign has won over a sceptical electorate

Mr Hollande’s economic programme is vaguely promising compared with the “Merkozy” orthodoxy