Macron, Le Pen offer contrasting visions for France
PARIS (AFP) — The battle to become France’s next president boils down to a sharp clash of contrasting visions.
In one corner is centrist Emmanuel Macron, with his proglobalization, pro-European Union world view.
In the other, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, who champions “nationalism” and a “France-first” approach.
“The country Mr. Macron wants is no longer France, it’s a space, a wasteland, a trading room where there are only consumers and producers,” Le Pen told thousands of supporters in Nice on Thursday.
Macron has a starkly differing ent message: “I will be... the voice of hope for our country and for Europe,” he said after the April 23 first-round vote.
Le Pen and Macron, who says he is “neither of the left nor the right,” eliminated France’s traditional political forces to reach the May 7 run-off.
The 39-year-old former investment banker, who had never before stood for election, started his centrist movement only 12 months ago but is now on the cusp of becoming France’s youngest-ever president.
Despite his lack of political experience, polls currently show he will beat Le Pen by around 20 percentage points.
President Francois Hollande launched Macron’s political career, picking him as an economic advisor and then parachuting him into his Socialist government as economy minister.
Sensing a worldwide shift away from established parties, Macron turned his back on Hollande and quit the Cabinet in August to concentrate on building up his own centrist political movement “En Marche” (On the Move).