"Dependent on Putin" French President Macron Strikes Back at Le Pen Over Inflation Issue

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] On the 20th (local time), four days before the French presidential election runoff, President Emmanuel Macron and National Rally (RN) candidate Marine Le Pen clashed fiercely in a debate. Challenger Le Pen emphasized the issue of inflation, which voters are most concerned about, saying she would be "the president of the cost of living," while President Macron countered by highlighting Le Pen's vulnerability due to her ties with Russia.

According to AFP and other sources, President Macron and candidate Le Pen met for a 2-hour and 30-minute televised debate that afternoon. Le Pen, who was visibly shaken when attacked by Macron during the 2017 presidential debate, was considered to be relatively well-prepared this time. Macron also responded combatively, and overall foreign media assessments suggest there was no clear "winner" of this debate.

Le Pen stressed the cost-of-living crisis, a key concern for French voters, and raised the issue of "judging the administration." The rise in prices of essential goods, including gas, has made inflation the hottest topic. She said, "The French people have suffered throughout Macron's term," and added, "My top priority for the next five years will be to return money to the French people." Le Pen mentioned her pledge to reduce taxes to return 150 to 200 euros per household monthly and also promised to lower the value-added tax on energy.

President Macron rebutted this by emphasizing his achievements over five years in office and brought up Le Pen's borrowing from a Russian bank, a known weakness. Macron questioned Le Pen, saying, "You depend on the Russian government and Putin," and asked why she took a loan of 11 million euros from a Russian bank in 2014. Le Pen avoided mentioning Ukraine-related issues but dismissed the criticism, saying, "The party took the loan simply because it could not raise funds in France." Alexei Navalny, a political opponent of Russian President Vladimir Putin and an opposition leader, urged French voters on his Twitter that day to vote for President Macron.

During the debate, the two candidates also argued over issues related to anti-immigration policies, including the wearing of hijabs by Muslim women and the question of maintaining membership in the European Union (EU). Far-right Le Pen, who has tried to appear softer and more centrist during her campaign, did not mention banning hijabs but revealed she still supports the ban in the debate. Macron pointed out, "If that happens, a civil war will break out." Le Pen, who has generally distanced herself from the EU, suggested maintaining EU membership but reforming it into more of a "national alliance."

The French presidential runoff will be held on the 24th. Most recent polls predict that President Macron will win with about a 10 percentage point lead over Le Pen. If re-elected, he will become the first president to serve consecutive terms in 20 years since Jacques Chirac in 2002. However, experts note that with over 10% of voters undecided, Le Pen's chances cannot be ruled out. Should Le Pen unexpectedly win, markets are expected to experience shocks comparable to the 2016 Brexit vote and Donald Trump's U.S. presidential victory, with global stock markets likely to fluctuate significantly on the 25th, the day after the election.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.