Would-be French presidential candidate Zemmour skips hate trial

FILE PHOTO: French far-right commentator Eric Zemmour attends a meeting for the promotion of his new book "La France n'a pas dit son dernier mot" (France has not yet said its last word) in Beziers, France, October 16, 2021. REUTERS/Eric Gaillard

PARIS (Reuters) -Eric Zemmour, the would-be presidential challenger whose incendiary language on immigration is shaping France's election campaign, skipped the first day of a trial for inciting racial hatred, and said he stood by his remarks that young migrants illegally in France were "thieves and rapists".

The far-right commentator, who opinion polls show could reach the second-round runoff vote in April next year, alleged there was a campaign to intimidate him.