France

Marine Le Pen Betrays Her Past to Capture a Bigger Prize: France

Author: Editors Desk Source: Bloomberg

July 7, 2024 at 10:17

Marine Le Pen addresses supporters at the National Rally headquarters following the first round of legislative elections on June 30.Photographer: Cyril Marcilhacy/Bloomberg

The country has been shaken by the prospect of the far-right takeover, as the National Rally leader flirts with the center ground.

Politics | The Big Take

The country has been shaken by the prospect of the far-right takeover, as the National Rally leader flirts with the center ground.

Earlier this year just over 50% of French voters said Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party posed a threat to democracy. On Sunday she will appeal to the other half in an attempt to pull off an election result that could reverberate across Europe.

Her party is set to emerge from the vote with the largest number of seats in parliament, even if an outright majority looks out of reach. Either outcome would be an unprecedented development in France's postwar history, a crushing blow for President Emmanuel Macron, and lead to years of turmoil in the European Union's second-largest economy.