Unseen at French Debate, Kremlin Critic Navalny Takes Aim at Le Pen

Once the verbal jousting began, Macron quickly put Le Pen on the defensive.

President Macron, left, and Marine Le Pen before a televised debate outside Paris on Wednesday. Ludovic Marin, pool via AP

Being imprisoned didn’t stop a Russian opposition leader from tossing a virtual dagger in the direction of the far-right challenger to Emmanuel Macron in his bid to hold on to the French presidency.

Alexei Navalny stepped abruptly into France’s tight presidential campaign Wednesday, urging voters to back the incumbent and alleging that opponent Marine Le Pen is too closely linked to Russia.

Ms. Le Pen has faced scrutiny before over a $9.7 million loan that her party received in 2014 from the First Czech-Russian Bank. Questions about her ties to Moscow arose during her failed presidential bid five years ago and they have emerged again amid Vladimir Putin’s war in Ukraine. Ms. Le Pen reiterated during a debate between the two candidates Wednesday evening that the February 24 Russian invasion was “inadmissible.”

A tweet by Navalny’s team hours before the critical debate threatened her relatively smooth ride toward Sunday’s runoff against Mr. Macron. During the debate, Mr. Macron attacked Ms. Le Pen as being dependent on Russia.

“You are speaking to your banker when you speak of Russia, that’s the problem, Madame Le Pen,” Mr. Macron said.

Ms. Le Pen bristled at the suggestion she is beholden to the Kremlin, saying, “Monsieur Macron, that’s false and quite dishonest.” With a certain amount of French flair, she added that she was “an absolutely and totally free woman.”

Earlier in the campaign, she dismissed questions about the loan to her National Front party, which has been rebranded as the National Rally. The bank has since been dissolved.

Mr. Navalny, who is Mr. Putin’s chief domestic foe, said in the long Twitter thread in French that he wanted to tell Ms. Le Pen’s supporters about corruption in Russia and how it has tainted banks like the FCRB.

“This bank is a well-known money-laundering agency created at the instigation of Putin,” Mr. Navalny tweeted, though he did not cite any evidence other than his own investigations into corruption in Russia. “This is selling political influence to Putin.”

In an unusual appeal that reflected the force of his belief but might itself be construed as interference, Mr. Navalny said: “Without any hesitation, I call on the French to vote for Emmanuel Macron.”

Polls suggest that Mr. Macron, a pro-European centrist, has a growing and significant lead over the nationalist firebrand. The result, though, is expected to be closer than five years ago and both candidates are now angling for votes among electors who didn’t support them in this election’s first round on April 10.

The evening primetime debate drove home the yawning gulf in politics and character between the two candidates again vying for the presidency.

“I am not like you,” Ms. Le Pen said as they clashed about France’s energy needs.

“You are not like me,” Mr. Macron said. “Thank you for the reminder.”

Once the verbal jousting began, Mr. Macron quickly put Ms. Le Pen on the defensive. He zeroed in on her voting record as a lawmaker and questioned her grasp of economic figures. Ms. Le Pen appeared most comfortable talking on topics that have long been centerpieces of her politics and her appeal to far-right voters: combating what she called “anarchic and massive immigration” and crime.

Usually a powerful orator, Ms. Le Pen occasionally struggled for words and fluidity. She also at times lacked her characteristic pugnacity. She has sought in this campaign to soften her image and cast off the extremist label that critics have long assigned to her and her party.

Mr. Macron in contrast appeared particularly self-assured, bordering at times on arrogance — a trait that his critics have highlighted. He sat with his arms crossed as he listened to Ms. Le Pen speak.

Both candidates need to broaden support before Sunday’s vote. Many French, especially on the left, say they still don’t know whether they will even go to the polls.


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