Eric Zemmour
Eric ZemmourReuters

Will the next president of France be a Jew who strongly opposes Muslim immigration to France? In recent weeks, rumors have been circulating that Eric Zemmour, 63, the son of Jewish immigrants from Algeria, may face incumbent President Emanuel Macron in next year's French presidential election.

Zemmour, a famous journalist who also hosts a popular radio show, became famous for his extreme right-wing views and opposition to Muslim immigration to France, and was even prosecuted several times after making controversial statements about immigrants to France.

Among other things, Zemmour claims that Muslim terrorism is a common and popular phenomenon due to the Koran, and is not a marginal phenomenon in Muslim society. He is also considered a scathing critic of the LGBT community, feminist movements and anti-racist organizations, claiming that they will harm France's future. Rumors that Zemmour is planning to run for the presidency of France against Macron have spread after recent polls showed that if he ran he would defeat far-right candidate Marin Le Pan and other right-wing candidates, and face Macron in the second round.

However, according to the polls, he is expected to lose to the incumbent president, but commentators in France estimate that the figures may change by next year's elections, especially if a Muslim terrorist attack occurs or there is a significant increase in coronavirus infections. Many in France compare Zemmour to former US President Donald Trump.

During a speech in Hungary last month, Zemmour called on white European citizens to "bring more children into the world" and added that "we are trapped between a lush Islamic demographic and this deconstructive discourse called so-called equality between men and women, in the name of gay freedom."

The only obstacle that could stand in the way of Zemmour's candidacy for the presidency of France, if he intends to run, is his ability to obtain 500 signatures from elected officials in 30 provinces, in order to enable him to run.