Le Pen ready to

As she loses her momentum the National Fr

ar-right candidate Marine Le Pen pulled all the stops to stem her slide in the polls, saying she’s willing to be “crucified” for her stance on absolving France for the wartime deportation of Jews, and pledging to protect the country from Islamist fundamentalists.

Just days before the first round of the presidential vote, the 48-year-old antiimmigration candidate touched on wellworn themes that most strike a chord with her electorate: Islam, immigration, national identity and terrorism. The populist leader linked protecting citizens, including women and Jews, with fighting radical Muslims at home.

“I don’t want France to be damaged, to be humiliated, that it be held responsible when it is not responsible,” Le Pen said in a Friday interview on France Info radio. “People can crucify me, I will not change my always defend France.”

The National Front cand in the polls has been wh over the last few weeks, struggling to regain mome round support for both L independent candidate Macron slipped 0.5 point tively 23.5 per cent and 22 according to a daily rolling on Thursday. Le Pen was cent in mid-March. The to didates in the presidential within striking distance o should they garner enough first round on April 23.

“Le Pen is hammering aw issues of wartime deportatio damentalism because she is focus the campaign on her s the key motivations for h