Le Pen hints Macron holds offshore fund
Fake news claim in French presidential election
Paris — The French prosecutor’s office launched an inquiry on Thursday into suspicions of fake news being spread to influence Sunday’s presidential vote after far-right leader Marine Le Pen implied her rival Emmanuel Macron held an offshore account. Macron, favourite to win the presidency, denied allegations of using a foreign tax haven that were made on social media and referred to by Le Pen in an ill-tempered televised debate with him on Wednesday night. He accused her of spreading lies. After Macron lodged a legal complaint over the allegations, a judicial source said the prosecutor’s office was investigating suspicions that fake news had been intentionally circulated with the aim of swaying Sunday’s voting. Opinion polls show Macron, a centrist, has roughly a 20 point lead over Le Pen. They see him firmly on course to win after what was widely seen as his solid performance in Wednesday evening’s fractious face-to-face encounter. French shares and bonds and the euro performed str...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.