Marine Le Pen Vows 'Restore the Rule of Law' and Proposes New Era in Orleans Campaign Speech

According to the South China Morning Post, Marine Le Pen, France’s far-right candidate to succeed President Emmanuel Macron next year, made a pledge during her first campaign speech on Sunday to ‘restore the rule of law’ and proposed a new era for her party. Le Pen, who is currently leading in the polls, appears to be gaining advantage from the unrest France has experienced over several weeks, which has included demonstrations regarding the cost of living and some instances of violence on Saturday and the week prior. She stated that 'We are going to restore the rule of law' following incidents of arson and looting that occurred near demonstrations last weekend. Le Pen was speaking to an audience of 8,500 people who support her nationalist, anti-immigration party in the city of Orleans, a location where Joan of Arc, who is viewed by the far-right as a symbol of national resistance, led an English siege in 1429.