Marine Le Pen: 'I may not be able to run'
The leader of the far right Front National party, Marine Le Pen, has said she may not get enough backers to run in upcoming presidential elections scheduled for April and May.
Under French law, a candidate in the presidential election needs 500 signatures from elected officials in at least 30 different departments across the country or in France's overseas territories.
While this is an easy task for candidates from the main parties, the governing UMP and the opposition Socialists, it can be a challenge for smaller candidates.
Le Pen told a press conference yesterday that reaching the target of 500 sponsors is proving difficult.
"We are far away from the sponsors we need," she said. "I risk not being able to stand as a candidate."
She added that "the situation is more difficult in 2012 than in 2007."
"If I am unable to run it means we're no longer living in a democracy and the president will not be legitimate," she said.
Le Pen is calling for sponsors to be allowed to remain anonymous to assist smaller candidates to reach the target.
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