Brutal French presidential race enters final stretch
PARIS (AP)— French centrist Emmanuel Macron sought to cement his frontrunner status yesterday, on the last day of campaigning for the weekend’s election run-off after a bruising and divisive race.
Pro-European Macron and far-right anti-immigration candidate Marine Le Pen have offered starkly different visions for France during a campaign that has been closely watched in Europe and the rest of the world.
And the battle has only increased in intensity in the final days after a bad-tempered debate, with Macron filing a legal complaint over rumors he has an offshore account.
Both candidates plan highprofile television appearances on the final day as they seek to win over voters, with polls suggesting the 39-year-old Macron enjoys a 20-point lead over his opponent.
At a final rally Thursday in the northern village of Ennemain, Le Pen told supporters she would give them back the keys to the Elysee Palace.
”France cannot wait five more years to hold its head high,” she said.
At an earlier stop in the western town of Dol-deBretagne, protesters threw eggs at her entourage, although she was not hit.
During a final rally in the southwest town of Albi, Macron told cheering supporters: “We will keep our promise of change to the end.”
The former economy minister came under fire however from dozens of union activists demanding the abolition of France’s controversial 2016 labor reforms.
Macron’s legal complaint came after Le Pen repeated rumors he had an offshore account during Wednesday’s TV debate, during which the pair clashed over terrorism, the economy and Europe watched by 16.5 million people.
”I hope that we will not find out that you have an offshore account in the Bahamas,” Le Pen said during the debate, which was her last chance to narrow the gap.
The 39-year-old ex-economy minister described his rival’s insinuation as “defamation” and after his complaint, French prosecutors launched a probe Thursday into who started the rumor.
Macron’s campaign team called it a “textbook case” of “fake news,” saying it was spread on Twitter by accounts close to Kremlinfriendly news sites like
Sputnik and RT as well as supporters of US President Donald Trump.