Shooting shakes up French election

THE KILLING of a policeman by a suspected Islamist pushed national security to the top of the French political agenda on Friday, two days before the presidential election, with leading candidates clashing over how to keep citizens safe.

With the first round of voting in the two-stage election to take place on Sunday, far-right leader Marine Le Pen, an anti-eu politician, seized on the shooting to push her policies on security.

Le Pen — narrowly trailing frontrunner Emmanuel Macron in opinion polls — said she would take steps to beat “Islamist terrorism” if elected, including introducing tougher immigration and border controls.

Macron, a former economy minister in the government that Le Pen has criticised repeatedly, said the solutions were not as simple as she suggested. The centrist candidate, a political novice compared with his opponents, said there “no such thing as zero risk” and anyone who said otherwise was irresponsible.

There are four leading candidates in a race that is still too close to call. Sunday’s round of voting will be followed by a second-round runoff on May 7 between the top two candidates.

The attack on Thursday night on the Champs Elysees boulevard added a new source of unpredictability to a closely contested election that will decide the management of France’s 2.2 trillion euro economy, which vies with Britain for the rank of fifth largest in the world.

The outcome could also have a bearing on France’s place in Europe and the world.

Fillon seized on the attack, which was claimed by Islamic State, saying the fight against “Islamist totalitarianism” should be the priority of the next president. “It’s us or them,” he said.

Trump weighs in

US President Donald Trump said on Twitter that the shooting would influence the French election.“another terrorist attack in Paris. The people of France will not take much more of this. Will have a big effect on presidential election!” he said. REUTERS