Macron seen as winner in hostile debate

Centrist underlines status as front runner for weekend run-off after clash with Le Pen

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Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron clashed over their vision of France's future, the euro and ways of fighting terrorism in a televised debate on Wednesday before Sunday's run-off vote for the presidency.
Ms Marine Le Pen branded Mr Emmanuel Macron "the candidate of the elite", while he described her as "the heir of a system which has prospered from the fury of the French people for decades". They also clashed repeatedly over terrorism, the economy an
Ms Marine Le Pen branded Mr Emmanuel Macron "the candidate of the elite", while he described her as "the heir of a system which has prospered from the fury of the French people for decades". They also clashed repeatedly over terrorism, the economy and Europe in a TV debate on Wednesday. PHOTOS: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

PARIS • French centrist Emmanuel Macron emerged the winner in a bad-tempered television debate with his far-right presidential rival Marine Le Pen, a poll found yesterday, underlining his status as the favourite for this weekend's presidential run-off.

The candidates clashed repeatedly over terrorism, the economy and Europe in the debate on Wednesday that was watched by 16.5 million people.

A poll by French broadcaster BFMTV found that 63 per cent of viewers thought Mr Macron was the "most convincing" of the two, broadly mirroring the forecast result for the election on Sunday. The duel was billed as a confrontation between Mr Macron's call for openness and Ms Le Pen's France-first nationalism.

Ms Le Pen, 48, branded the investment banker "the candidate of the elite" and the "darling of the system", and constantly sought to remind viewers of his role as former economy minister in unpopular President Francois Hollande's Socialist government.

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Supporters of centrist French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron gather in Paris to watch him clash with far-right candidate Marine Le Pen during a heated televised debate that covered their two visions of France's future, the euro and how to fig

Mr Macron, 39, responded by describing the scion of the National Front as "the heir of a system which has prospered from the fury of the French people for decades".

"The high priestess of fear is sitting before me," said the leader of political movement En Marche.

The sharpest exchange was over national security, a sensitive issue in a country where more than 230 people have been killed by militants since 2015. Ms Le Pen accused Mr Macron of being complacent. Mr Macron retorted that terrorism would be his priority if he is elected.

On Europe, Ms Le Pen accused him of being "submissive" towards German Chancellor Angela Merkel, saying: "France will be led by a woman, either me or Mrs Merkel."

But Mr Macron was in combative form throughout, repeatedly portraying Ms Le Pen's stance as simplistic, defeatist or dangerous.

He targeted her proposal to withdraw France from the euro, calling it a fatal plan that would unleash a currency war, and accused her of failing to offer solutions to problems such as chronic unemployment.

Ms Le Pen called the euro, shared by 19 countries in the European Union, "the currency of bankers".

Like much of the French press, Le Monde said the 140-minute debate had been "brutal" and "violent from start to finish". Mr Frederic Dabi, an analyst with pollsters Ifop, said: "Le Pen's strategy was to push Macron into making a mistake, but she didn't really succeed."

Investors took heart from Mr Macron's debate win, scooping up French bonds and stocks.

Meanwhile, the French prosecutor's office yesterday opened an investigation on suspicion that fake news had been circulated with the aim of influencing voting.

Mr Macron earlier lodged a legal complaint with the office over allegations, which were referred to by Ms Le Pen during the debate, that he held an offshore account.

In a video message released yesterday, former US president Barack Obama endorsed Mr Macron, praising him for appealing "to people's hopes and not their fears".

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 05, 2017, with the headline Macron seen as winner in hostile debate. Subscribe