I often dream about France.

Thoughts of our cozy home surrounded by life’s great pleasures…wine, bread and cheese.

The sights and sounds of Paris and enticing retail therapy.

Today, I fear that France will fall to trumpism and right wing Nazi sentiment in the form of Marine  Le Pen.

MLP is a French lawyer and far-right politician who has previously run for president of France. Her father was a French far-right politician who served as President of the National Front and ran for French president five times.

This Sunday, France commences the process to elect a president.

Le Pen, whose presidential campaign has gained momentum in recent days, captured 48.5% of voter intentions in an opinion poll this week which is the highest score she has ever notched.

Prior to this tragic turn of events, re-electing Macron was a foregone conclusion. Now it looks like Macron and Le Pen are headed for a run off.

Many of the same issues and sentiments facing President Biden are biting at President Macron’s political heels.

You would think that the brave example of Ukrainians fighting and dying for democracy against the dictatorial leadership of Putin would motivate the world to fight even harder for democratic freedom.

The longer I live in this often conflicted, violent, self-serving and hypocritical world the less things make sense.