French press review

In the spotlight: how far will Marine Le Pen go?

Audio 04:24

Marine Le Pen answers questions from journalists as she visits a farm as part of her campaign trip to the island of Guadeloupe, on March 27, 2022 in Saint-François.

AFP - CEDRICK ISHAM CALVADOS

By: Frédéric Couteau Follow

3 mins

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“ 

How far will Marine Le Pen go? 

“: question posed on the front page of

L'Opinion.

“ 

In the latest surveys, the dynamic of Marine Le Pen no longer ceases,

notes the liberal daily.

She practically regained her level of 2017 in the first round when she obtained 21.3% of the vote.

She largely distanced her competitor Eric Zemmour.

And according to the polls, she would get between 46.5% and 47.5% in the second round against Emmanuel Macron.

The score has never been so tight.

(…) The scenario of a victory for Marine Le Pen is no longer excluded by anyone 

”, points out the liberal daily.

Discreet but effective...

Le Pen, she's there...

 ", title

Liberation

on the front page, with, on a black background, this blurred photo of the president of the National Rally.

 The RN candidate, whom many had buried a little quickly, managed to outrun her main rival, Eric Zemmour, by choosing the right campaign theme: purchasing power, specifies Libé.

While the ex-controversialist rehashed his obsession with the '

great replacement

' and went ball in head on questions of immigration and identity, she unrolled her concern about the cost of living, concern validated and even increased tenfold by the war in Ukraine.

Anxious to avoid the slightest risk-taking, she conducted a quiet campaign, smooth, almost boring, which benefited her.

In an anxiety-provoking world, where Eric Zemmour was hysterical, she calmed down.

 »

In short, concludes

Liberation,

“ 

the leader of the far right, who is undoubtedly leading one of her last battles here, will bet everything on a possible face-to-face with Emmanuel Macron in the second round.

Counting on a weakening of the Republican front while she will be able to benefit from a carryover of votes from part of the electorate of Éric Zemmour who, basically, will have been her useful idiot.

 »

The challenge of the legislative

On the front page of Le

Parisien:

a Nicolas Sarkozy with an interrogative face and a Valérie Pécresse looking worried… “ 

Nicolas Sarkozy in withdrawal: the reasons for a silence

 ”, headlines the newspaper.

Indeed, “ 

10 days before the first round of the presidential election, the former President of the Republic has still not given his support to Valérie Pécresse, the candidate of his political family.

A disavowal that questions his true intentions.

 »

In fact, understands

Le Parisien,

“ 

differences with the candidate and bad polls encourage the ex-president to be cautious.

His priority is no longer the presidential election, but to save the legislative elections that will follow… 

Indeed, specifies

Le Figaro

, " 

if Valérie Pécresse fails on the evening of April 10, many believe that Nicolas Sarkozy intends to immediately launch a call for an alliance with Emmanuel Macron providing for a common government platform and an agreement on the constituencies .

 “And

Le Figaro

to wonder:” 

how many at LR are in for this quasi-German coalition with Macron?

Symmetrically, others plead in petto for the lifting of any '

cordon sanitaire

' and a form

of 'union of the rights

' with, in particular, the friends of Éric Zemmour.

Who among the current '

barons

' will be the first to dare to lift this taboo?

 »

Redial right

It smells of “ 

big maneuvers

 ” on the right, point out

Les Echos. 

There is indeed “

 the weakness of Valérie Pécresse who, if she is still fighting, and tenaciously, now seems to be doing so for fourth place (in front or behind Zemmour?).

 »

For his part, continue

Les Echos,

“ 

Emmanuel Macron could launch a party of the ‘

presidential majority

’ to recover some of the LR deputies before the June election.

Of the usefulness of a Nicolas Sarkozy in the maneuver, with the '

Le Pen risk

' as a culpability element to take the plunge.

The gap is narrowing in a possible second round Macron and Le Pen

 ”, also notes the economic daily which wonders.

“ 

Is there anyone to save LR? 

»

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  • Newspaper

  • Presidential France 2022

  • Marine Le Pen

  • Emmanuel Macron

  • Nicolas Sarkozy

  • French politics

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