Radio Free Europe: France's Future Course Hangs In Balance Of Presidential Election

Our Martin Michelot contributed to an article for Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty on the French presidential race.

Le Pen's only strategy is to harm Macron, to paint [him] as a globalist candidate whose political approach and policies are dangerous for France.

As a matter of fact, the polls haven't moved that much, which indicates the fact that Marine Le Pen has never been able to...impose her themes in the campaign,... the themes that would carry voters towards her.

Le Pen would want to have a much closer cooperation with Russia on fighting terrorism in the Middle East and also...would reopen lines of political negotiation with Iran which, for example, goes completely counter to the goals of the United States...[and] could lead to a clash with the United States and President [Donald] Trump.

Macron is a politician who has never in his career dealt with [foreign policy] issues...so you can expect lots of predictability on the Macron team.

You can read the whole interview on Radio Free Europe's website.

Martin Michelot
Senior Associate Research Fellow

Expertise: NATO and transatlantic security, European foreign policy and defense, French politics, elections and society, Visegrad Four and Central Europe, EU institutional issues