Marine Le Pen’s fascist Front National has been topping the polls and is expected to come first in France’s European Parliament vote – but not without opposition.

The FN has been in the lead with up to 24% in recent opinion polls. Le Pen is a standard bearer for fascism in Europe – her successes give confidence to fascists and racists elewhere.

But she hasn’t had it all her own way. In the town of Sotteville lès Rouen, in Normandy, northern France, Le Pen’s attempt to do a walkabout and meet voters in the marketplace went a bit wrong as around 100 local people gathered to make it clear they know exactly what she stands for.

F as in fascist, N as in nazi

Le Pen has been attempting to “de-demonise” her party, so this is an important message. But it will have to go far wider to counteract the FN’s rise.

Solidarity and best wishes to the antifascists in Sotteville, across France and in the rest of Europe.

We will be liveblogging the European Parliamanet elections on Dream Deferred, with a focus on the fascists and the far right, on the night of Sunday 25 May and into Monday. Here’s a look back at what happened in 2009.