Mr. Martinez, who first called for the emergency party congress, accused Mr. LePen of diverting mail from the post office box Mr. Martinez had opened to receive the petitions of party members. On regional councils all over France, elected FN members have divided into factions during official meetings and treated each other with exaggerated politeness or stony silence. Divisions in the party have raised thorny questions about party funds. Banks that had been prepared to lend money for the Euro Parliament campaign are backing out for fear the party could go broke. There is sure to be legal battle over who may use the Front National name and tricolor flame logo.
Many local campaigns are in jeopardy.
Mr. Megret had planned to run for mayor Marseille, but admits it will now be a much harder fight. There has also been heartache of the most painful kind. On Dec. 23, Mr. Martinez called on reporters to come watch him present copies of the signature to FN headquarters six days later. The press obligingly showed up only to find that the building was closed for the holidays. Jean-Marie LePen is a very unusual and flamboyant figure in contemporary French politics.