As expected, outgoing President Emmanuel Macron did not hold back his blows against his rival Marine Le Pen during the debate between the two rounds, this Wednesday evening.
And again unsurprisingly, the supposed closeness of Marine Le Pen to Russian President Vladimir Putin, in the midst of war with Ukraine, was quick to invite itself into the discussions.
While the candidate of the National Rally welcomed the positions defended by Emmanuel Macron against Russia and the "efforts" which "deserve to be supported", the head of state was not softened.
“I take note of the positions which do not correspond to those which your parliamentarians defend, he tackled.
What you have just said is contrary to the positions you have taken.
(…) Your interests are linked to the interests of Russian power.
You depend on Russian power and Mr. Putin, ”he accused, referring to the loan taken out by Marine Le Pen from a Russian bank.
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“If I was forced to go and make a loan abroad it was because no French bank agreed to grant me a loan”, replies the person concerned.
"I am a perfectly free woman," she retorted, also attacking the meetings between Macron and Putin.
"In 2017, you received Mr. Poutine in Brégançon and you made exactly the words I want" today, she accuses.