Hollande told the daily Liberation newspaper ahead of the runoff that he saw the strong showing for the National Front as an expression of people's "social anger" rather than a firm adherence to the party's more extremist views.

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Socialist Francois Hollande, who is favored to win on May 6, told France's daily Liberation newspaper that he saw the strong showing for the National Front as an expression of people's "social anger" rather than a firm adherence to the party's more extremist views.

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The ease with which his expression resolved into hatred made it clear that anger was his default position.

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