As the second round of the legislative elections approaches, Marine Le Pen is actively working on her international image. Recently re-elected as the deputy for Hénin-Beaumont under the National Rally, she gave an interview to CNN, with the first extracts released on Friday on X. The full interview is set to be broadcast the same day at 7 p.m., as per the American channel.
During the interview, Le Pen criticized the Republican withdrawals observed after the first round within the New Popular Front and the presidential camp. Over 200 candidates have withdrawn since Sunday to reduce the number of triangulars. Le Pen argued that her party represents no danger other than making Emmanuel Macron lose power. She emphasized that Macron's efforts to fight against them are because he knows they are the alternation movement capable of obtaining an absolute majority.
Le Pen pointed out a paradox in Macron's actions, stating that while he called for dissolution to give people a voice, he is now withdrawing his candidates between the two rounds to push votes to the extreme left. She accused Macron of refusing to allow the French people to express themselves freely.
In another extract, Le Pen responded to Kylian Mbappé's call to vote on Sunday, criticizing the tendency of footballers, singers, and other millionaires to tell the French how to vote. According to her, the French are tired of receiving moral lessons and voting instructions. She described the election as a form of emancipation, with the French wanting to regain control of their destiny and vote for what they think is good.
Meanwhile, within the presidential camp, there are disagreements on how to handle the National Rally. While some, like Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and former president of the National Assembly Yaël Braun-Pivet, have called on voters to block the National Rally even if it means voting for the left, others like the Minister of the Economy, Bruno Le Maire, have taken a different stance. Le Maire criticized the idea of fighting the National Rally with Jean-Luc Mélenchon's party, describing both as dangers and refusing to make a hierarchy of dangers.
The latest Ifop-Fiducial poll for Le Figaro, LCI, and Sud Radio suggests that the National Rally and its allies could win between 210 and 240 seats, while the left could secure between 170 and 200 seats. Far from the absolute majority of 289 deputies, this scenario raises concerns about an ungovernable country.
- Marine Le Pen's international image-building efforts come at a crucial time as she aims to consolidate her party's position domestically and internationally. Her interview with CNN highlights her strategic approach to gaining broader recognition and support.
- The significant number of candidate withdrawals highlights the intense political maneuvering taking place. The withdrawals are aimed at reducing competition and increasing the chances of certain parties gaining more seats in the legislature.
- The internal disagreements within the presidential camp reflect the complexity and challenges of forming a unified strategy against the National Rally. The differing opinions on how to handle the situation underscore the political tensions and uncertainties leading up to the elections.
- The Ifop-Fiducial poll results indicate a fragmented political landscape with no clear majority, raising questions about the future governance of the country. The potential for an ungovernable country looms large, with the National Rally and the left both poised to gain significant representation.
