There has been much controversy over the upcoming French elections in recent weeks. Francois Fillon, the center- right candidate, has faced many scandals such as allegations of tax evasion and the “fake work” scandal. The other moderate, Emmanuel Macron, has also faced controversy over comments made on France’s history in Algeria, and has received criticism from the more conservative candidates in the election. The most popular candidate currently, however, is the far-right Marine Le Pen . Despite her extreme stances, she is leading the first round of elections with around 26 percent of the vote. As France has been rocked in recent times by a number of high-profile terrorist events, Le Pen’s hardline stance on national security and opposition to radical Islam have proven popular with certain elements of the population. Though Le Pen is popular with voters, her connections to Russia and funding from Russian-owned banks could prove to be too much for French citizens, especially in the aftermath of the election-meddling allegations towards Russia. As France is one of the strongest economies in Europe and a cornerstone of the European Union, which has been tested by Brexit, their upcoming election in April will be an important one to watch, especially when the results could prove very controversial.
