Macron’s Dire Warnings About Le Pen May Not Work This Time

  • He said Le Pen would ‘impoverish’ savers, drive away investors
  • Polls show Le Pen’s party with substantial lead in first round
Marine Le Pen during an interview on TF1 on June 10.Photographer: Julien de Rosa/Pool/AFP
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At his Wednesday press conference, Emmanuel Macron brandished the prospect of economic Armageddon should the far-right end up in government, calling on voters to not succumb to the “fever of the extremes.” Trouble is, that time-honored strategy is proving to be increasingly ineffective.

In the three days of political chaos wrought by Macron’s decision on Sunday to call a snap legislative election — following his party’s bruising defeat in the European Parliament vote to Marine Le Pen’s surging National Rally — the airwaves have been filled with dire warnings and news of alliance talks between parties — most of which have yet to present party programs.