Macron Goes on Charm Offensive as His Campaign Shifts Focus

  • French leader steps up media appearances, talks to voters
  • With just two weeks left, Macron makes his case in earnest
Can Le Pen Beat Macron?
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Emmanuel Macron traveled to the former industrial region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais on Monday, signaling a change of strategy as he takes his re-election campaign up a notch to extend the gap with far-right leader Marine Le Pen ahead of a runoff vote.

The French president spent several hours mingling with crowds in Denain, where roughly 15% of voters backed him in Sunday’s ballot, compared to 42% who opted for Le Pen. In the evening in Carvin, another town in the area, he sat in a cafe for a live interview with BFMTV and spoke for 20 minutes about pensions, purchasing power and unemployment.