A political rally before the first round of the French presidential election.
Sylvain Lefevre | Getty Images News | beautiful pictures
French voters are heading to the polls on Sunday in an election where the cost of living and the war in Ukraine dominate the political debate.
Opinion polls from the week before the first round of presidential elections show that the gap between the incumbent president is narrowing. Emmanuel Macron and far-right party leader Marine Le Pen, who is running for the third time. Both are poised to contest the second and final round of voting on April 24.
Support for Macron grew after Russia invaded Ukraine. The French president has been trying to negotiate diplomatic arrangements between Kyiv and Moscow, calling for a ceasefire and directing the EU to take action against the Kremlin for its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
For example, last week Macron said it was time for the EU to ban Russian coal and oil in the face of atrocities in towns near the Ukrainian capital Kyiv. The bloc then took measures against Russian coal and began working to limit Russian oil.
But the war in Ukraine has also contributed to rising energy prices, along with a spike in inflation – something his rival Marine Le Pen took advantage of during her election campaign.
Le Pen is highly focused on the cost of living as she seeks to distance herself from her relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Her campaign staff denied the reports that they were ordered to destroy thousands of leaflets with photos of Le Pen taken with Putin.
“Macron remains in a key position to win on April 24. However, his initial rating boost after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine evaporated as Le Pen exploited worries about an increase. Based on current trends, Macron and Le Pen analysts at Berenberg said in a note to clients Wednesday could be election day.
Le Pen has also abandoned some of his other political positions in an effort to attract more moderate voters. For example, she is no longer pushing for France to leave the European Union.
In addition, new presidential candidate Eric Zemmour – as he is even more on the right wing – has contributed to her tarnishing. Zemmour also has a hardline stance on immigration, having focused his political rhetoric on the subject.
“Zemmour’s bid means there’s a more radical candidate on the far right end of the spectrum. This could help Le Pen’s attempt to ‘normalize’ her figure and get her to. It’s easier to digest as a candidate for some segments of the center-right constituency,” Antonio Barroso, chief executive officer at consulting firm Teneo, said in a note Tuesday.
He added of Le Pen: “Her campaign is much more professional than in 2017 really marked by constant efforts to make her look less aggressive than before.
Productivity per 10 years of France Government bonds are up since the start of the year amid growing concerns about the economy amid higher inflation. Benchmarks also rose last week as opinion polls showed the gap between Macron and Le Pen narrowing.
