Centrist President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday accused his presidential election rival, far-right candidate Marine Le Pen, of “trusting” Vladimir Putin’s Russia four days before the runoff to decide who will rule France until 2027.

“You trust Russian power and Mr. Putin. […] When you talk about Russia, you’re talking about your banker,” Macron told his National Rally (RN) rival during the only televised debate before the runoff.

Amid the Russian occupation of Ukraine, which has restored France’s fears of rising inflation and loss of purchasing power, the president is trying to present Le Pen as pleased with Moscow and warn him of its foreign policy.

His opponent replied, “This is untrue and quite dishonest.” He claimed that in 2014 his party took out a 9m euro loan from a Russian bank, which is still being repaid because no French bank is willing to lend.

In foreign policy, Le Pen proposes the abandonment of the integrated command of NATO, which constitutes the alliance’s military strategy, and his election would represent another setback for the European Union (EU) after the re-election of Hungarian Viktor Orban.

“We live in a very serious time. […] “The role of France and Europe is to support Ukraine,” he said. […] With strong powers like France” can weigh in on the international stage.

Hours before the debate, both his Russian rival Alexei Navalny, who is imprisoned in their country, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky criticized the relationship between Le Pen and Putin. The Ukrainian asked Le Pen to admit he was “wrong”.

The heir to the National Front (FN), who assured him that he did not want to leave the European Union, reiterated that “aggression against the Ukrainian people is unacceptable” and said he supports an independent, “free Ukraine”. United States, EU and Russia.

difficult period

The presidential election in France repeats the final duel of 2017, but the country is not the same. A series of social protests such as the “yellow vests” shook Macron’s tenure, an epidemic gripped millions, and the war returned to the borders of Eastern Europe.

“For five years I have seen the people of France suffer. […], worry about the future. “Another choice is possible,” said Le Pen, who introduced himself at the beginning of the debate as head of “freedom”, “purchasing power” and “national brotherhood”.

Emphasizing the “difficult period” that France went through during his tenure, Macron expressed his desire to continue at the head of the country in order to make France “stronger and more independent”, “improve daily life” and move forward. ecological transition

Although Macron leads the race by 12 points, according to the latest Ipsos/Sopra Steria poll average, only 69% of French say they are confident they will vote, and 6 out of 10 voters vote for left-wing Jean-Luc Mélenchon. candidates want to attract and mobilize.

In this sense, the debate presents itself as a key moment, as this segment of the electorate sees this as “approving an election that is not entirely guaranteed” or “hoping” that it will help them ultimately make a decision. Emmanuel Rivière, a political scientist under the consultancy of Kantar, in an interview with RFI radio.

But it also illustrates the prevailing frustration of a segment of the population forced to choose between the “danger” of the far-right and an unpopular current president.

‘Too authoritarian’

Unlike in 2017, when he was first proclaimed president with 66.1% of the vote, Macron now has to defend his administration, which is marked by crises and protests against popular class politics.

The ‘main motif’ of his program is to restore the reformist and liberal impulse that the crisis has forced him to suspend, such as raising the retirement age from 62 to 65. He said he was willing to change it to 64 to appeal to left-wing voters.

Le Pen took advantage of this unpopular proposal and France’s concerns about rising inflation to bolster Macron’s image of “president of the rich”.

“There is only one way to finance it, and that is to gradually work harder,” the head of state said, in order to maintain the pension system. “Absolutely unbearable injustice,” replied his opponent.

According to Ipsos/Sopra Steria polls, Le Pen is considered the person who understands people’s problems best, while Macron has a better international image. But both are considered “too authoritarian” by nearly half of the French public.

On Sunday night, the name of who will preside over France for the next five years will be announced and the legislative campaign will begin in June to determine which parliamentary majority to rule with, something vague on a political chessboard in reorganization.