Putin’s War Blows Up the French Election
Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the contest for the French presidency has narrowed to a race between just two candidates: President Emmanuel Macron and the far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Another far-right contender, Éric Zemmour, and the traditional center-right candidate have joined the left in the political wilderness.
PARIS – Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine has had a powerful impact on the French presidential campaign. Before the Russian invasion, there were three Putin supporters among the leading candidates: the far left’s Jean-Luc Mélenchon and the far-right contenders Marine Le Pen and Éric Zemmour.