Marine Le Pen is one of Emmanuel Macron's closest rivals in the 2022 French election, whether she can beat the incumbent leader is left to be seen.
Even with the Ukraine incursion, the French elections will push through on April 10.
Upcoming French Presidential Elections
One big question is if Le Pen can beat the current president of France, with the momentum he is getting steering the country through the crisis, reported the Express.
Le Pen is part of the right-wing and is said to have links to Moscow. Macron's closest rivals seem to be conservative Les Republicains candidate Valérie Pécresse and the controversial right-wing National Rally leader Marine Le Pen.
Marine Le Pen and Eric Zemmour are on the radical side of the electoral battleground, also vying for the ballots of France's working-class conservatives before the April election time, citing the BBC.
Her opponent threw a wrench in the works late last year when he surprisingly decided to enter the presidential campaign and momentarily blew past her because of inexperience. The two opponents of the current president have the same views on immigration, security, freedom of speech; and have aired the divergence from the European Union.
She has gotten the better of her rival in the Ukraine crisis has allowed a slight lead over Zemmour, with her likely links to the Kremlin.
In 2014, the National Rally obtained a loan from a Russian bank worth roughly €9 million, which will be paid until 2028. Le Pen even met Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2017. A picture of the two shaking hands was published on 1.2 million election booklets with the tag line saying 'A woman of conviction.'
Le Pen avoided further controversy on her stand to distance herself from Russia. Clarified that she is independent of Moscow; gave support for taking in Ukrainian refugees, which her rival Zemmour was too slow to do.
Macron Could Still Win Over Le Pen
They, nevertheless, have now changed their focus to problems concerning the ordinary French voter, and it appears to be working for the National Rally leader.
Macron's female rival said this week that protecting France and her people is her obsession, noted the Economist. She added that the French should keep their jobs, be able to heat their homes, and have enough to live comfortably.
Le Pen stressed how the French are in the grips of the crisis starting from a pandemic, and a war in Ukraine is making it hard for everyone.
Some solutions that could be done are reducing VAT on fuel, gas, and electricity, making it 5.5 percent from 20 percent. Another is to push for tax breaks for employers adding a raise to their employees' salaries. But Zemmour was quick to copy her stand and was accused of copycatting the National Rally leader's stance.
He was caught pretending to strike up conversations over fuel prices at a gas station in Montauban in southwestern France last Sunday. It was later found out that it was a sham that involved supporters.
But Macron might be leading how he's handling the problem in Ukraine with a mature political attitude that might win over voters. Some say it might be a repeat of 2017 when he won a second vote.
According to recent polls, Le Pen is against odds that might place her opponent in another term, and Macron is still predicted to win.
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