Far-Right Leader Le Pen Has Never Been So Powerful in France

Marine Le Pen in the hemicycle of the French National Assembly in Paris, on Nov. 28.Photographer: Amaury Cornu/AFP/Getty Images

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By Ania Nussbaum

December 1, 2024 at 8:00 AM UTC

Updated on

December 1, 2024 at 11:22 AM UTC

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Marine Le Pen’s ultimatum to French Prime Minister Michel Barnier, even after he caved on a key demand from her party, lays bare the unprecedented clout the far-right leader now wields in Paris’ halls of power.

Following weeks of hardening threats to bring down Barnier’s government in a no-confidence vote, the French premier on Thursday dropped plans to raise taxes on electricity in 2025, in what is a key budget concession.