French Jewry's umbrella body umbrella body Crif has called for the community to vote against far-right group National Front after the party made significant gains in the first round of French regional elections.

In a statement published on their website on Monday the Conseil Representatif des Institutions Juives de France, the French equivalent of the Board of Deputies, said: “Crif calls on you to vote en masse next Sunday to block the National Front, a xenophobic and populist party. Don’t let the Republic go backwards!”

The National Front topped the polls with almost 30 per cent of the vote in the first round of regional elections on Sunday.
Leader of the NF Marine Le Pen, the daughter of NF founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, has been outspoken in the past about immigration and minorities in France. The party was historically associated with xenophobic, racist or antisemitic stances, but since taking charge Ms Le Pen has worked to soften its image and distance herself from her father.

Despite the antisemitism of Ms Le Pen's father, who led the party until 2011, nearly 14 per cent of the Jewish community voted for the NF in the 2012 election.

That figure represents a sharp increase on the 2007 election, when 4.3 per cent of French Jews voted for the far-right party.

French racism watchdog SOS Racisme has also launched a campaign to get people to vote against the NF.