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| As Le Pen and Macron Fight for Presidency in France, Unions Are Split | |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| PARIS — France’s presidential campaign entered its last week on Monday, coinciding with May Day labor demonstrations around the country that reflected a split among unions over whether to endorse Emmanuel Macron, the centrist candidate, against Marine Le Pen, his far-right opponent. | PARIS — France’s presidential campaign entered its last week on Monday, coinciding with May Day labor demonstrations around the country that reflected a split among unions over whether to endorse Emmanuel Macron, the centrist candidate, against Marine Le Pen, his far-right opponent. |
| More than 140,000 people participated in rallies in Paris, Lille, Marseille and other cities — events organized by French labor unions, some of which have found themselves in a bind ahead of the vote in the second and final round of the presidential election on Sunday. | More than 140,000 people participated in rallies in Paris, Lille, Marseille and other cities — events organized by French labor unions, some of which have found themselves in a bind ahead of the vote in the second and final round of the presidential election on Sunday. |
| Although they have historically opposed Ms. Le Pen’s far-right National Front and have urged members to vote against her, several major labor unions also fought the job market overhauls that Mr. Macron defended as economy minister and that he wants to expand if elected. | Although they have historically opposed Ms. Le Pen’s far-right National Front and have urged members to vote against her, several major labor unions also fought the job market overhauls that Mr. Macron defended as economy minister and that he wants to expand if elected. |
| That has left unions split between those who have explicitly endorsed Mr. Macron, and those who have only called for votes against Ms. Le Pen. | That has left unions split between those who have explicitly endorsed Mr. Macron, and those who have only called for votes against Ms. Le Pen. |
| At a rally of his supporters in Paris on Monday, Mr. Macron reiterated his economic agenda and renewed calls for a “strong Europe.” But he said he would never “judge” a National Front voter, “because behind that vote there is always an anger, an outrage, a disappointment.” | At a rally of his supporters in Paris on Monday, Mr. Macron reiterated his economic agenda and renewed calls for a “strong Europe.” But he said he would never “judge” a National Front voter, “because behind that vote there is always an anger, an outrage, a disappointment.” |
| Though he condemned Ms. Le Pen for seeking to exploit voters’ anger, Mr. Macron seemed to play to the same deep anxieties on Monday when he told the BBC that if elected he would have “to listen to our people, and to listen to the fact that they are extremely angry today, impatient, and the dysfunction of the E.U. is no more sustainable.” | Though he condemned Ms. Le Pen for seeking to exploit voters’ anger, Mr. Macron seemed to play to the same deep anxieties on Monday when he told the BBC that if elected he would have “to listen to our people, and to listen to the fact that they are extremely angry today, impatient, and the dysfunction of the E.U. is no more sustainable.” |
| Mr. Macron said that he was “pro-European,” but that if elected he would “reform in-depth the European Union and our European project,” lest he “betray” the French people. | Mr. Macron said that he was “pro-European,” but that if elected he would “reform in-depth the European Union and our European project,” lest he “betray” the French people. |
| “I don’t want to do so, because the day after, we will have a ‘Frexit,’” he said, referring to a French exit from the European Union, “or we will have the Front National again.” | “I don’t want to do so, because the day after, we will have a ‘Frexit,’” he said, referring to a French exit from the European Union, “or we will have the Front National again.” |
| Many on the French left, including union advocates who oppose the National Front, say the economic policies defended by Mr. Macron — free trade and a desire to loosen labor regulations — have fueled the National Front’s success. | Many on the French left, including union advocates who oppose the National Front, say the economic policies defended by Mr. Macron — free trade and a desire to loosen labor regulations — have fueled the National Front’s success. |
| Those voters, many of whom supported the hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the first round, do not want their votes for Mr. Macron to be construed as support for his platform. The latest polls have shown an increase in the number of voters who say they plan to abstain in the second round. | Those voters, many of whom supported the hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon in the first round, do not want their votes for Mr. Macron to be construed as support for his platform. The latest polls have shown an increase in the number of voters who say they plan to abstain in the second round. |
| In Paris on Monday, the unions that supported Mr. Marcon and opposed Ms. Le Pen marched separately, in stark contrast to 2002, when the different labor unions united to oppose Ms. Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie, after he made it into the second round of the presidential elections. | In Paris on Monday, the unions that supported Mr. Marcon and opposed Ms. Le Pen marched separately, in stark contrast to 2002, when the different labor unions united to oppose Ms. Le Pen’s father, Jean-Marie, after he made it into the second round of the presidential elections. |
| Philippe Martinez, the head of the General Confederation of Labor, one of France’s biggest unions, told the newspaper Le Parisien on Sunday that while his and other unions agreed on opposing the National Front, “we are not in 2002 anymore.” | Philippe Martinez, the head of the General Confederation of Labor, one of France’s biggest unions, told the newspaper Le Parisien on Sunday that while his and other unions agreed on opposing the National Front, “we are not in 2002 anymore.” |
| At the bigger demonstration on Monday in Paris, unions marched for workers’ rights and against Ms. Le Pen, without calling for support for Mr. Macron. Other demonstrators carried signs that read “No to Macron” and “No to Le Pen,” and some chanted “abolish the Macron law” or “abolish the labor law.” | At the bigger demonstration on Monday in Paris, unions marched for workers’ rights and against Ms. Le Pen, without calling for support for Mr. Macron. Other demonstrators carried signs that read “No to Macron” and “No to Le Pen,” and some chanted “abolish the Macron law” or “abolish the labor law.” |
| Some hooded protesters clashed with the police on the sidelines of the demonstrations, throwing rocks and firebombs at the officers, who responded with tear gas. Five riot police officers were wounded in the clashes, the Paris police prefecture said. | Some hooded protesters clashed with the police on the sidelines of the demonstrations, throwing rocks and firebombs at the officers, who responded with tear gas. Five riot police officers were wounded in the clashes, the Paris police prefecture said. |
| Demonstrators at a smaller rally organized earlier on Monday in Paris by more moderate labor unions, who have endorsed Mr. Macron, said voters had to choose. | Demonstrators at a smaller rally organized earlier on Monday in Paris by more moderate labor unions, who have endorsed Mr. Macron, said voters had to choose. |
| “Although we don’t support the politics of Macron, we advise our followers to vote for him, because we don’t want Le Pen,” said Olivier Belem, 56, a computer technician and union member. “The fact that the other unions don’t give voters clear advice will leave open the possibility of a blank vote and will help Le Pen in her chances of victory.” | “Although we don’t support the politics of Macron, we advise our followers to vote for him, because we don’t want Le Pen,” said Olivier Belem, 56, a computer technician and union member. “The fact that the other unions don’t give voters clear advice will leave open the possibility of a blank vote and will help Le Pen in her chances of victory.” |
| Analysts predict that abstentions could help Ms. Le Pen, especially if left-wing voters reluctant to vote for Mr. Macron stay home on Election Day. The latest polls suggest that Mr. Macron could beat Ms. Le Pen with roughly 60 percent of the vote in the second round. | Analysts predict that abstentions could help Ms. Le Pen, especially if left-wing voters reluctant to vote for Mr. Macron stay home on Election Day. The latest polls suggest that Mr. Macron could beat Ms. Le Pen with roughly 60 percent of the vote in the second round. |
| On Monday, Mr. Macron also paid tribute to Brahim Bouarram, a 29-year-old man who was killed during a far-right demonstration in Paris on May 1, 1995, by skinheads who pushed him off a bridge and into the Seine. Mr. Bouarram’s son, who was 9 at the time of his father’s death, joined Mr. Macron as they laid flowers at a memorial plaque. | On Monday, Mr. Macron also paid tribute to Brahim Bouarram, a 29-year-old man who was killed during a far-right demonstration in Paris on May 1, 1995, by skinheads who pushed him off a bridge and into the Seine. Mr. Bouarram’s son, who was 9 at the time of his father’s death, joined Mr. Macron as they laid flowers at a memorial plaque. |
| It was the latest attempt by Mr. Macron to draw attention to the National Front’s anti-Semitic and racist roots, from which Ms. Le Pen has tried to distance herself. | It was the latest attempt by Mr. Macron to draw attention to the National Front’s anti-Semitic and racist roots, from which Ms. Le Pen has tried to distance herself. |
| Last Friday, Mr. Macron traveled to Oradour-sur-Glane, a village in central France where an SS division killed 642 people in 1944; and on Sunday, he visited the Shoah Memorial in Paris. | Last Friday, Mr. Macron traveled to Oradour-sur-Glane, a village in central France where an SS division killed 642 people in 1944; and on Sunday, he visited the Shoah Memorial in Paris. |
| The National Front’s unsavory past is embodied by Ms. Le Pen’s 88-year-old father and founder of the party, who on Monday addressed a couple of hundred supporters in Paris at a rally celebrating Joan of Arc. | The National Front’s unsavory past is embodied by Ms. Le Pen’s 88-year-old father and founder of the party, who on Monday addressed a couple of hundred supporters in Paris at a rally celebrating Joan of Arc. |
| Despite fears in Ms. Le Pen’s entourage that her father might make inflammatory remarks, Mr. Le Pen stuck to fairly routine anti-immigrant rhetoric and harsh criticism of Mr. Macron. | Despite fears in Ms. Le Pen’s entourage that her father might make inflammatory remarks, Mr. Le Pen stuck to fairly routine anti-immigrant rhetoric and harsh criticism of Mr. Macron. |
| “He talks about the future, but he has no children; he talks about workers, but he’s a former banker at Rothschild; he wants to revitalize the economy, but he’s one of those who dynamited it,” Mr. Le Pen said. | “He talks about the future, but he has no children; he talks about workers, but he’s a former banker at Rothschild; he wants to revitalize the economy, but he’s one of those who dynamited it,” Mr. Le Pen said. |
| Ms. Le Pen, who announced last week that she would name a former right-wing rival prime minister if elected, said on Monday at a campaign rally near Paris that Mr. Macron was the candidate of “finance” and that he was an “adversary of the people.” | Ms. Le Pen, who announced last week that she would name a former right-wing rival prime minister if elected, said on Monday at a campaign rally near Paris that Mr. Macron was the candidate of “finance” and that he was an “adversary of the people.” |
| “I will be a president who protects,” Ms. Le Pen told her cheering supporters. | “I will be a president who protects,” Ms. Le Pen told her cheering supporters. |
| Manon Bouquin, 24, a Le Pen supporter at the rally, said she believed Ms. Le Pen could win on Sunday. | Manon Bouquin, 24, a Le Pen supporter at the rally, said she believed Ms. Le Pen could win on Sunday. |
| “Whatever the outcome, everything will have changed, and it was interesting to see people in the establishment of 40 years finally getting worried,” Ms. Bouquin said. | “Whatever the outcome, everything will have changed, and it was interesting to see people in the establishment of 40 years finally getting worried,” Ms. Bouquin said. |
| Ms. Le Pen has campaigned on an anti-elite, anti-immigration and anti-European Union platform that has tapped into deep frustration about unemployment, especially among the working class. | Ms. Le Pen has campaigned on an anti-elite, anti-immigration and anti-European Union platform that has tapped into deep frustration about unemployment, especially among the working class. |
| Even some Macron supporters at his rally said that, though they believed in his ability to win, they worried about his ability to unite disenchanted voters beyond their rejection of the far right. | Even some Macron supporters at his rally said that, though they believed in his ability to win, they worried about his ability to unite disenchanted voters beyond their rejection of the far right. |
| “There are a lot of people who think that it is mostly important to vote against Marine Le Pen,” said Elfayed Sagaf, 18, a student who was holding a banner supporting En Marche!, Mr. Macron’s movement. “I would have preferred more votes of support.” | “There are a lot of people who think that it is mostly important to vote against Marine Le Pen,” said Elfayed Sagaf, 18, a student who was holding a banner supporting En Marche!, Mr. Macron’s movement. “I would have preferred more votes of support.” |