French press review 21 March 2012

Mourning and the massive security operation to arrest the author of the Toulouse murders are today's main stories.

Solidarity and sharing are the key words as catholic La Croix and communist L'Humanité look at a nation-wide reaction in silent support of the families and friends of the seven victims.

Le Figaro reflects on a day of sadness and shock in both France and Israel.

Much of what the papers have to say about the security reaction to the killings is now out of date by the news coming from Toulouse this morning.

Libération attempts to estimate the impact of the tragedies on the French election campaign. The 10 candidates have been forced to adapt their schedules, suspending planned meetings and generally accepting to suspend hostilities.

But that has not meant that the major contenders have vanished off the media radar. They will all be present this afternoon at Montauban for the funerals of the three soldiers murdered in the first attacks.

Nobody wants to appear to be making political capital from the tragic deaths.

The centrist candidate François Bayrou has, however, said that modern French society is riddled by intolerance and violence and is an ideal breeding ground for the sort of murderous madness we have seen in Toulouse in the past week. He has refused to suspend his campaign, saying that it's exactly when faced with this sort of crisis that the French people have the most need of clear thinking and plain speaking from their political leaders

Bayrou says France faces three crises simultaneously, concerning the economy, social solidarity and moral disintegration. He says France is a sick society. Without naming any names, he criticises those political figures who have manipulated what he calls the "dark forces" at work dividing the nation for their own political profit.

Without any direct reference to Bayrou, Le Figaro's editorial quotes the president of the Jewish Representative Council as saying that, whatever the motivations of the killer, no one could reasonably suggest that there is a general atmosphere which could encourage such acts.

Against such a sad background, it seems almost indecent to turn to other subjects. My apologies.

Communist L'Humanité looks at the irresistable rise of hard-left candidate, Jen-Luc Mélenchon, now credited with nearly 12 per cent of first round voting intentions.

Most opinion polls show a greatly reduced gap between President Nicolazs Sarkozy and the Socialist contender, François Hollande. But all analysts point to the greater reserves which the Socialist will have to call on in the event of a second round face-off against the out-going president. Hence the importance of Mélenchon's improvement in standing.

Another imponderable concerns the likely impact of the Toulouse tragedy on support for the far-right Front National of Marine Le Pen, many of whose supprters could be expected to transfer their support to Nicolas Sarkozy, especially since Sarko is sure to beef up the security side of his promises for a new France.