Macron calls Le Pen a "climatosceptic", she replies that he is a "climatohypocrite"

Europe 1 with AFP 11:18 p.m., April 20, 2022

Marine Le Pen and Emmanuel Macron posted their differences on ecology on Wednesday, the first accusing the second of being "climatohypocrite" while she was called "climatosceptic".

"Your project is very transparent, you are climatosceptic," said the candidate president, addressing his opponent from the RN during the debate before the second round.

"You are the worst in punitive ecology"

"I am not climatosceptic in any case, but you, you are a bit climatohypocrite (...) You are the worst of punitive ecology" which is "of great violence for the middle and modest classes", has she replied.

Ms. Le Pen declared herself in favor of the ecological “transition” but it must be “much slower than what is imposed on the French”.

Giving priority to nuclear power, she considered "regrettable" the use of solar and wind power, which is "the worst" because "it is at the same time an ecological absurdity" and "economic".

"Madame Le Pen... you're kidding"

But for Emmanuel Macron, "there is no exit strategy from fossil fuels that goes through all nuclear".

It is therefore necessary to "invest in renewables" by developing "industrial sectors" in France.

During a more muscular exchange, Marine Le Pen joked about the fact that her opponent wanted to put wind turbines at sea "everywhere, on all the coasts, except in front of Le Touquet", the seaside resort of Pas-de-Calais where the Macron couple has a second home.

"Madame Le Pen ...", "you're kidding", reacted Emmanuel Macron with an outraged air.

According to the mayor of Touquet Daniel Fasquelle (LR), questioned Wednesday evening by AFP, "there is an old project of a wind farm facing the beaches of Berck in Le Touquet against which I have been fighting since 2007. I challenged Macron on this subject and I wrote to him to ask him to commit not to go back on this project when he announced 50 offshore wind farms at the start of his campaign. He has not replied to me yet".

The LREM candidate accused his opponent of "inconsistency" by proposing "the biggest hydrocarbon subsidy possible since you lower the VAT on them" when they are "a very polluting fossil fuel".