Macron attacks ‘pro-Russian’ Le Pen as French presidential race narrows
French President Emmanuel Macron has mounted a counter-attack on the right-wing populist rival who threatens his re-election prospects.
French President Emmanuel Macron has depicted Marine Le Pen as a pro-Russian champion of anti-Semitism as he mounts a counter-attack on the right-wing populist who threatens his prospects of re-election.
After a lacklustre opening of his campaign, Mr Macron has turned his fire on Ms Le Pen, leader of the National Rally, casting her as a potential disaster for France and urging his team to expose her manifesto as dangerous and incoherent.
Without naming her, in keeping with his practice, Mr Macron told le Figaro that Ms Le Pen, 53, remained the heir to an unchanged far right despite cultivating a softer image that has helped her rise to within striking distance of him if they both go through to the April 24 run-off election.
“The fundamentals of the far right are always the same: attacks on and rejection of the Republic, a base of anti-Semitism … very clear xenophobia and an ultraconservative drive,” he said.
Mr Macron, 44, who has lost his position as clear favourite, is implicitly assuming that Ms Le Pen will emerge ahead of the 10 other challengers on Sunday to face him in a repeat of their 2017 second-round run-off.
Mr Macron leads the first-round field with about 27 per cent of the vote while Ms Le Pen has about 23 per cent.
The President told his cabinet this week to avoid demonising Ms Le Pen and focus on demolishing her manifesto.
“We shouldn’t be in the moral register saying we’re heading for chaos if she’s elected. That’s not enough. We have to give priority to facts,” he said.
A minister said: “We have to show up the monstrous proposals of Marine Le Pen on the national debt and alliance with Russia.”
Ms Le Pen has focused on raising spending power by cutting VAT and other taxes. She aims to limit access for immigrants to benefits, jobs, housing and medical care.
She also wants to end French submission to EU law and cut its budget contributions, steps that would cause upheaval in the bloc.
Ms Le Pen explained on Thursday how her pledge to ban the headscarf in public spaces would be implemented.
“People will be given a fine, in the same way that it is illegal to not wear your seatbelt,” she told RTL radio.
Mr Macron has highlighted Ms Le Pen’s support for Russian President Vladimir Putin, which she has dialled down since Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine.
Mr Macron’s campaign posted superimposed images of Mr Putin and Ms Le Pen under the title “Marine Putin”.
Ms Le Pen has criticised the invasion but refused this week to accept that Russian forces were responsible for atrocities.
Last week she said she considered Ms Putin an ally of France and this week she said the Russian President, who has welcomed her to the Kremlin in the past, was democratically elected and was not a dictator.
The Times
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