Le Pen Mixes Hardline Policies With Social Welfare to Widen Appeal
Marine Le Pen during a campaign event in Reims, France, on Feb. 5.
Photographer: Benjamin Girette/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Nationalist leader Marine Le Pen has never led in the three campaigns she’s run for France’s top job. But she’s finally making it close.
Her increasingly protectionist stance on economic issues in recent years has allowed her to reach some voters who have traditionally backed left-wing candidates and have been angered by Emmanuel Macron’s support for business and investment. She’s hoping her current focus on social welfare will convince more of them to pick her in the final ballot of the presidential election April 24, or at the very least, abstain instead of turning up for her rival.