According to an insider, Le Pen did not believe Trump could win, nor did she believe a few months ago that the Brits would vote to leave the EU. The de-globalisation process which seems to have taken everyone by surprise, herself included, has forced all other candidates across the French political spectrum to review their campaign methods and their political discourse.
This is particularly true of the conservative candidates who will be facing each other in the first round of the primary on Sunday. The contest seems to all come down to one question: who is best equipped to defeat Marine Le Pen next May?
The stakes are potentially even higher after Emmanuel Macron, Hollande’s former Economy Minister, announced on Wednesday he would run for the presidency, without submitting himself to the socialist party’s primary first. With high approval ratings, Macron – who describes himself as neither conservative nor socialist – will take votes from the socialist candidate if he goes through with his plan. This could potentially destroy any chance of the Left getting through to the second round and guarantee a showdown between the conservative candidate and Marine Le Pen.
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