French President Emmanuel Macron will face off against far-right leader Ray-Ban on the 24th. Under the shadow of the Russian-Ukrainian war, in addition to the issue of people’s livelihood, the most heated discussion is the candidate’s stance on Russia. Macron accused Ray-Ban of relying on Russian funds, while Ray-Ban tried to distance himself from Putin.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 changed the face of the French presidential election, and the relationship between the two candidates and Russia became the core topic of the second round of debate.
In the televised debate of the presidential election on the 20th, Emmanuel Macron and Marine Le Pen faced off against domestic and foreign issues face to face. Unsurprisingly, Macron clings to Ray-Ban’s much-maligned pro-Russian stance, with the latter rebutting and defending in one of the episodes of the two gossip.
Macron accused Ray-Ban of “depending on the Russian regime and (President) Vladimir Putin” and said: “When you talk to Russia, you are talking to your bank, and that is the problem”, saying It became popular on the Internet and became major media headlines.
In 2014, the National Front (FN), now the National Union (RN), borrowed 9.14 million euros from the Czech-Russian joint bank First Czech Bank of Russia (FCRB) to finance European and regional elections. The independent investigative media Mediapart, which was exposed at the time, pointed out that this was in exchange for Ray-Ban’s support for Moscow’s annexation of Crimea.
Ray-Ban retorted, alluding to the impediment of Macron, then economy minister, that neither French nor European banks would lend money to their “poor party”. She said borrowing was not a secret, while stressing that she was “absolutely and completely free”.
But on the other hand, First Czech Russian Bank, which closed its doors in 2016, changed hands and was finally acquired by Aeroflot. The jailed Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said during the debate that “everyone knows that this bank is a money laundering institution founded by Putin”, blaming Ray-Ban for being “bribed by political influence” by Putin.
Ray-Ban’s relationship with Russia can be traced back to her father, the founder of the National Front, Shang Ma Li. Jean-Marie Le Pen, who at the time was closely associated with Russian nationalist artists, intellectuals, and politicians. After Ray-Ban took over as the party leader in 2011, he formalized the relationship, and pro-Russia became the party’s international political platform.
The National League shares common values with Russia, including sovereignty, the superiority of the state over international organizations, economic protectionism, anti-globalization led by multinational corporations, and ethnocentrism. During the 2017 election campaign, Ray-Ban also went to the Kremlin to meet Putin.
The issue of Russia’s attempt to infiltrate and influence French politics is nothing new. In the last election, there were also doubts about Russia’s manipulation through the political circles and the media. The Internet information war in France has also been heard from time to time. Therefore, France is already wary of Russian political interference, and its relationship is more sensitive; the Ukrainian-Russian war at the time of the general election has made public opinion more carefully examine the candidate’s position on Russia.
At the end of March, Ray-Ban was reluctant to call the Russian invasion a “war crime”; in early April, Ray-Ban’s foreign policy was still “alliance with Russia”. It wasn’t until the Bucha massacre in Ukraine that Ray-Ban made a big turn. Not only did she call for a political cessation, but she also supported humanitarian, economic, and military assistance to Ukraine, but she still did not support economic sanctions, and even opposed the fuel embargo, believing that it would hurt France. people.
But Lei-Ban also said that if he takes office, he will push for a strategic reconciliation with Russia after the armistice between the two sides, and win Russia over to face China, because “if Russia is allied with China, the West will lose more.”
Macron stressed that there is only one channel for action against Russia, namely Europe. He advocated that while offering sanctions and embargoes to Russia, he maintained negotiations with the Kremlin. But Macron is believed to have suspended futile talks with Putin after the Butcha massacre.
As the result of the general election will affect France’s diplomatic stance in the next five years and even the European Union (EU) policy, not only voters are concerned, but even Russian and Ukrainian leaders have publicly expressed their views on this.
The Russian media believed that Macron made great use of the advantages given by Russia, and described the war as Macron’s “gift from the sky”; the big newspaper Kommersant even sarcastically wrote that “Macron will lead Azerbaijan on a Russian chariot. The Palace of Lisey”.
A few hours before the debate on the 20th, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenski accepted a video interview with French TV, saying that due to his good friendship with Macron, the relationship between the two countries has gradually become closer. He said he had no intention of influencing the French election results, “just wanted to say that I have a very good relationship with Macron and do not want to lose it”.
Zelensky also shouted to Ray-Ban, hoping that she would admit that she had a wrong view of the Ukraine-Russia issue. “If she understands that she has made a mistake, our relationship may also change.”
The second round of voting in the French presidential election will be held on the 24th. According to a survey released by the polling company Elabe on the 22nd, Macron’s approval rate is 55.5%, and Ray-Ban is 44.5%; Ipsos-Soprastea The Ipsos-Sopra Steria poll on the same day put Macron at 57% to Ray-Ban at 43%.
Responsible editor: Yu Weining
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