French far-right leader Le Pen softens image for election

By ELAINE GANLEY
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — French nationalist Marine Le Pen has softened her rhetoric and her image as she tries to unseat centrist President Emmanuel Macron in the upcoming election, taking place in two rounds on April 10 and 24. She is honing in on the pocketbook issues that voters care about most. But the woman who has been known for her fierce anti-immigration stance is also facing a challenge from TV pundit Eric Zemmour, a more provocative candidate who styles himself after Donald Trump and embraces racist conspiracies. Their rivalry illustrates France’s tilt toward the hard right. Le Pen’s emphasis on consumer issues is in line with her work to make her party less toxic.