Andrew Tettenborn

The real danger Marine Le Pen poses to the EU

As the French Presidentielle hots up for the final vote on Sunday week, both Macron and Le Pen are fighting bitterly for the support of the erstwhile supporters of the left-winger Mélenchon who came a very respectable third in last Sunday’s poll. From the great and the good, who detest Le Pen, there is a concerted call to all and sundry to form an anti-far-right alliance and vote for Macron (where necessary holding their noses) so as to replicate what happened in 2017.

It is fair to say that much of what is said against Le Pen is misleading. Her economic policies are if anything more Mélenchon than Macron: lowering the pension age, reducing the burden on young families, and reducing the tax on fuel. Nor is there that much difference between her present approach to Russia and Macron’s: while vocally expressing support for Zelensky, both are opposed to arming Ukraine with serious offensive weapons, and favour a broadly neutral France doing its best to avoid the fall-out.

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