Macron, Le Pen trade accusations in French election race

[webfact]

Macron, Le Pen trade accusations in French election race

By John Irish

REUTERS

 

Emmanuel Macron (C), head of the political movement En Marche !, or Onwards !, and candidate for the 2017 French presidential election, speaks to journalists during a visit to the Hopital Raymond-Poincare in Garches, near Paris, France, April 25, 2017. REUTERS/Lionel Bonaventure/Pool

 

PARIS (Reuters) - France's two presidential candidates traded barbs on Tuesday with centrist Emmanuel Macron accusing far-right rival Marine Le Pen of promoting hatred, while she labelled him as the "candidate of the oligarchy."

 

Macron and Le Pen, leader of the National Front (FN), go head-to-head on May 7 after taking the top two places in Sunday's first round.

 

Opinion polls indicate that the business-friendly Macron, who has never held elected office, will take at least 60 percent of the vote against Le Pen after two defeated rivals pledged to back him to thwart her eurosceptic, anti-immigrant platform.

 

However, since Sunday Le Pen has been on the offensive. She has portrayed the 39-year-old former investment banker as weak in the face of Islamist militancy, the heir to unpopular outgoing President Francois Hollande and part of the country's privileged elite.

 

Macron has also come under fire from potential allies and Le Pen for acting as if victory next month was already in the bag after visiting a restaurant on the Left Bank on Sunday night after his first round triumph, handing ammunition to his opponents who described it as shallow, arrogant behaviour.

 

Speaking after Hollande warned him earlier in the day against taking victory for granted, Macron sought to regain some initiative.

"Some have woken up with a hangover because Le Pen is there. I haven't," Macron told reporters after his first campaign trip since Sunday. "Nothing is won ... I have never considered one minute that it was won. My battle is to defeat Marine Le Pen."

 

On France 2 television, Macron said the 48-year-old Le Pen would bring disaster to the economy and divide it with "hatred".

 

"When I hear Madame Le Pen's slogans, her tones and her gestures, I see a lot more brutality on her side than mine. The brutal project, the project of hate and rejection is not on my side," he added.

 

A Harris poll published late on Tuesday showed that more than 60 percent of French people believed that Le Pen had begun her campaign better than Macron with more than 40 percent considering Macron's restaurant celebration a mistake.

 

Seeking to capitalise on her momentum, Le Pen has attempted to distance herself from her own party, saying she was not the candidate of the National Front, only supported by it, and was in fact the "candidate of the people" fighting the "candidate of the oligarchy."

 

"My opponent has a vision that is disembodied. He only has eyes for the big cities. He is addressing them," she said, adding that unlike Macron she had campaigned in rural France.

 

"The election is not done. The oligarchy has already installed Emmanuel Macron in the president's seat. The people will reserve a major surprise for the oligarchy," she said.

 

(Reporting by John Irish; Editing by Gareth Jones and Sandra Maler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-04-26

 

[Baerboxer]

Getting interesting.

 

But presumably the litmus test will be pro or anti EU. That seems to polarize the candidates and presumably will do the same for the electorate.

 

But you have to love French politics. Fillon is under investigation for fraud by giving large sums of tax payers money to his wife and two kids for work that appears not to have been done, or that they weren't qualified to do. But he still polls close to the two winners! Obviously being a crook isn't an issue - accepting he's not been convicted yet. Follows on from Lagarde who although convicted wasn't punished as the judge decided to let her off. 

 

HiSo French elites, especially those involved in politics or the civil service seem as above the law as their Asian counterparts. 

[Grouse]

"On the move" is a better translation than "Onwards" It's not imperative. Any Francophones here?

[JHolmesJr]

Take a look at this Macron…exactly the sort of guy the establishment feels safe with….lol.

 

I hope Marine gives him the ride of his life…he needs that arrogant smirk wiped off.

[Aforek]

4 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

But presumably the litmus test will be pro or anti EU. That seems to polarize the candidates and presumably will do the same for the electorate.

 

If problem is pro or anti EU, sure Macron wins because a big majority of French want to stay with euro and EU . A poll showed that for French people , economics is more important than Islam and immigration, and finance likes Macron, euro is in a good shape because of the first round last sunday

 

For " en marche !", I see it like " let's walk !", "let's go !"because of the "! "  I don't know exactly what " onwards " means 

 

"on the move", yes , but without the " ! "which shows  an imperative 

Edited April 26, 2017 by Aforek

[Mosha]

An investment banker, and he should be trusted? GFC anyone?

Sent from my iris 505 using Tapatalk

[John Drake]

1 hour ago, JHolmesJr said:

Take a look at this Macron…exactly the sort of guy the establishment feels safe with….lol.

 

I hope Marine gives him the ride of his life…he needs that arrogant smirk wiped off.

Banker, Socialist, former Finance Minister. Epitome of the establishment.

[JHolmesJr]

46 minutes ago, Aforek said:

 

For " en marche !", I see it like " let's walk !", "let's go !"because of the "! "  I don't know exactly what " onwards " means 

 

"on the move", yes , but without the " ! "which shows  an imperative 

 

when i hear en marché i am going to movenpick marché for a meal.

[JHolmesJr]

11 minutes ago, John Drake said:

Banker, Socialist, former Finance Minister. Epitome of the establishment.

wow….sounds like a totally dangerous bloke…business as usual to the power of 10.

[Grouse]

1 hour ago, Aforek said:

If problem is pro or anti EU, sure Macron wins because a big majority of French want to stay with euro and EU . A poll showed that for French people , economics is more important than Islam and immigration, and finance likes Macron, euro is in a good shape because of the first round last sunday

 

For " en marche !", I see it like " let's walk !", "let's go !"because of the "! "  I don't know exactly what " onwards " means 

 

"on the move", yes , but without the " ! "which shows  an imperative 

Thank you kind sir! My French is lamentable. I didn't know an exclamation mark indicated an imperative conjugation in French.

 

Is Latin still taught? I do hope so!

Edited April 26, 2017 by Grouse

[JHolmesJr]

Looks about as straight as macaroni…..55555

[simple1]

5 hours ago, JHolmesJr said:

Looks about as straight as macaroni…..55555

 

France already has a policy of closing down mosques whose Imams preach Islamic extremism, deports such Imams, slowing 'migrant' intake etc - nothing new from Le Pen. So pray tell what constructive polices Le Pen articulates for the future of France.Her economic manifesto will degrade French society more effectively and faster than threats from 'migrants'.