Free Republic

In French politics the squeeze to keep Marine Le Pen from reaching the second round of the presidential election continues. It started with the entry of outspoken Tucker Carlson type TV pundit Eric Zemmour into the race. His outspoken views on Islam and crime drawing supporters away from Marine Le Pen. Zemmour even drew a few National Rally activists who formerly supported Le Pen into his ranks. Then the mainstream "Right" put a female candidate Valerie Pecresse into the race. Pecresse leads the large Ile-de-France region in and around Paris.... Now yesterday a new blow to Marine Le Pen came...

A new flavor in the French presidential race. Valerie Pecresse emerging from a "primary of the Right" in France to be the candidate of Les Republicains one of France's "mainstream" parties. Pecresse is President of the Ile de France region in and around Paris. Her victory last weekend led to instant polling that gave her second place in the first round behind incumbent Emmanuel Macron. And the polling for the second round showing Pecresse a winner over Macron by a narrow margin. Macron himself went before the media on Thursday for a press conference in the aftermath of the polls....