Emanuel Macron’s diplomatic efforts with Vladimir Putin certainly gave him a boost in opinion polls. But while he is still ahead, his lead has closed in recent weeks and now it is a very tight race. Instead, his biggest rival, Marin Lepen, has praised the former Russian president and taken partisan loans from a Russian bank. While it has sought to distance itself from these Russian connections during this campaign, it does not appear to have diminished its support for French voters. Image: There is a political apathy in France and low voter turnout could spark a surprise result On the last day of the election campaign before voters went to the polls, a poll found Ms. Le Pen just two points behind Mr Macron. If the polls turn out to be correct, he will face Macron in the second round on April 24 to be the next president of France. When Macron started his own political movement in 2016, he promised a new kind of politics. But as he struggles to win a second term, the far right is threatening him once again. Read more: Le Pen tells fans “leave now if you want to leave” Could Ms. Le Pen really be the next president of France? It is unlikely but not impossible. There is a political apathy in France and the low turnout could trigger a surprise result. A political analyst studying the far right says it is not a temporary phenomenon in France. Image: Eric Zemmour is Marin Le Pen’s opponent on the far right and also a candidate in Sunday’s first round of voting “The far right has been around for almost 50 years,” said Jean-Yves Camus, a senior fellow at the Center for the Analysis of the Radical Right (CARR). “Most have said over the years that it will disappear. No. And not for two reasons. The first is that the French are very pessimistic. We are probably the most pessimistic people in the EU. “So when a politician, whether it is Le Pen or Zemour, says you have to take your country back into your own hands, otherwise we will disappear, it strikes a chord,” he added. Eric Zemour is Ms. Le Pen’s opponent on the far right and also a candidate in Sunday’s first round of voting. Many believe in Mr. Zemmour’s extremist views that he helped Le Pen in this election – making her look modest and more attractive to voters. Image: There is a perception among some that under Macron’s presidency the rich have become richer and the poor feel poorer “The second point is, you have to remember that we have been the target of so many terrorist attacks, especially since 2015, when some French people have a much more confrontational approach to Muslims and Islam than they used to,” said Mr Camus. Ms. Le Pen’s anti-immigration policies have affected the concerns of many French voters – but they have also fueled accusations of Islamophobia and racism that have sparked fears in France, among other things, of her growing popularity. This time, Ms. Le Pen played a clever campaign focusing on the cost of living for the people, which is a major concern for French voters. With high inflation and record prices at the pump, there is the expectation that the “yellow vest” protests could return. On the contrary, for large sections of the electorate, Mr. Macron appears elitist and out of communication. There is a perception among some that under his presidency the rich have become richer and the poor feel poorer. Victory is not a certainty for Mr Macron, who warned his supporters – do not believe that the far right can not win. We will begin to realize this as the results come on Sunday night.
