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FILE - Far-right governmental talk-show prima Eric Zemmour acknowledges applauses arsenic helium arrived connected signifier during a gathering to beforehand his latest publication "La France n'a pas dit lad dernier mot" (France has not yet said its past word) successful Versailles, westbound of Paris, Oct. 19, 2021. A far-right erstwhile TV pundit with aggregate hate-speech convictions is poised to officially participate the contention for France's presidency, having already shaken it up with his anti-immigration, anti-Islam invective. (AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

PARIS – A far-right erstwhile TV pundit with aggregate hate-speech convictions officially entered the contention for France's presidency connected Tuesday and warned his supporters that they volition apt beryllium called racists for backing his anti-immigration and anti-Islam views.

The motorboat of Eric Zemmour's tally for the presidency made authoritative a run that had been gathering steam for months earlier it past stumbled of precocious — notably aft the 63-year-old polemist raised a mediate digit astatine a pistillate who did likewise to him implicit the weekend.

That flash of temper — which Zemmour aboriginal acknowledged connected Twitter was “very inelegant" — formed caller uncertainty connected the temperament and electability of the writer and erstwhile journalist. Zemmour has drawn comparisons successful France to erstwhile U.S. President Donald Trump due to the fact that of his rabble-rousing populism and ambitions of making the leap from the tiny surface to nationalist leadership.

Name-dropping Joan of Arc, Napoléon Bonaparte and Gen. Charles de Gaulle, Zemmour announced his candidacy successful a pre-recorded video, speechmaking from notes and speaking into a ample microphone. The airs evoked imagery of vigor addresses that De Gaulle famously delivered during World War II arsenic helium urged France to rally to his telephone against Nazi Germany.

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Already assailed by critics for his divisive views of France arsenic a state mortally threatened by migration and for his infamously crisp tongue, Zemmour warned supporters to brace for a bruising run up of the April election.

“They volition archer you that you are racist," helium said. “They volition accidental the worst things astir me,”

Zemmour joins a crowded spectrum of candidates, from acold near to acold right. President Emmanuel Macron is expected to question a 2nd word but hasn't yet declared his candidacy.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This worldly whitethorn not beryllium published, broadcast, rewritten oregon redistributed without permission.