French presidential elections a quagmire of left and right head-butting
Far-right candidate Marine le Pen is holding onto her gains, but centrist Emmanuel Macron hags two boosts from the left
Paris — Centrist Emmanuel Macron has received two boosts from the left in France’s presidential election, but polls show far-right candidate Marine le Pen holding onto her gains. A senior socialist minister — agriculture minister and government spokesperson Stephane Le Foll — said on Tuesday that he might back Macron, a new blow to the left’s hopes but a move that could help Macron as he battles to maintain his campaign’s momentum. On Wednesday, François de Rugy, who stood unsuccessfully as an ecology candidate in the primaries of the left that elected socialist Benoit Hamon as candidate, said he would back Macron. De Rugy won 3.82% of the vote in those primaries, and has been critical of Hamon’s policies. Polls foresee a wide, multi-candidate race, in which far-right leader Marine Le Pen holds onto recent gains, keeping debt and foreign exchange markets on edge. Two polls show ex-banker Macron neck-and-neck with conservative rival François Fillon as favourite. A third poll, from El...
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