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| Marine Le Pen accused of plagiarising François Fillon in May Day speech | Marine Le Pen accused of plagiarising François Fillon in May Day speech |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has been accused of plagiarism after a speech to her supporters used phrases lifted from the conservative candidate François Fillon. | |
| The original speech, delivered by Fillon shortly before he was knocked out in the first round of the contest, was on the subject of France’s role in Europe and the world. Le Pen’s, made at a Front National May Day rally, was on France’s roots in western Europe. | The original speech, delivered by Fillon shortly before he was knocked out in the first round of the contest, was on the subject of France’s role in Europe and the world. Le Pen’s, made at a Front National May Day rally, was on France’s roots in western Europe. |
| The accusations came as supporters of her rival Emmanuel Macron warned that a high abstention rate could hurt his chances of victory in the second round vote on Sunday. | The accusations came as supporters of her rival Emmanuel Macron warned that a high abstention rate could hurt his chances of victory in the second round vote on Sunday. |
| Florian Philippot, the deputy leader of Le Pen’s party, said it “completely owned up” to the fact that the speech resembled one made by Fillon on 15 April. He told Radio Classique that Le Pen’s speech it was a “nod-and-a-wink” to Fillon’s earlier discourse in order to “launch a real debate” concerning French identity. | Florian Philippot, the deputy leader of Le Pen’s party, said it “completely owned up” to the fact that the speech resembled one made by Fillon on 15 April. He told Radio Classique that Le Pen’s speech it was a “nod-and-a-wink” to Fillon’s earlier discourse in order to “launch a real debate” concerning French identity. |
| The similarities between the two speeches were mocked by Le Pen’s opponents on social media and French newspapers highlighted the borrowed passages. | The similarities between the two speeches were mocked by Le Pen’s opponents on social media and French newspapers highlighted the borrowed passages. |
| Le Pen mentioned France’s “three maritime borders” with the English Channel, North Sea and the Atlantic. That same phrase was also used by Fillon. | Le Pen mentioned France’s “three maritime borders” with the English Channel, North Sea and the Atlantic. That same phrase was also used by Fillon. |
| Le Pen described France’s borders and ties with “Italy, our sister” – again a phrase used in Fillon’s April speech. | Le Pen described France’s borders and ties with “Italy, our sister” – again a phrase used in Fillon’s April speech. |
| She also used a quote from the early 20th-century French prime minister Georges Clemenceau: “Once a soldier of God, and now a soldier of Liberty, France will always be the soldier of the ideal.” | She also used a quote from the early 20th-century French prime minister Georges Clemenceau: “Once a soldier of God, and now a soldier of Liberty, France will always be the soldier of the ideal.” |
| That Clemenceau quotation was used, word-for-word, by Fillon. | That Clemenceau quotation was used, word-for-word, by Fillon. |
| Le Pen’s campaign manager, David Rachline, played down plagiarism accusations, painting her speech as a form of tribute to Fillon. The references were “appreciated, including by all of Fillon’s supporters,” Rachline told France 2 television. | Le Pen’s campaign manager, David Rachline, played down plagiarism accusations, painting her speech as a form of tribute to Fillon. The references were “appreciated, including by all of Fillon’s supporters,” Rachline told France 2 television. |
| Just days ahead of Sunday’s run-off, Macron remains the frontrunner in the race with polls predicting a 19-point lead, putting the 39-year-old centrist on track to become France’s youngest president. | |
| But amid concerns in his camp that a high abstention rate could help Le Pen’s chances, company bosses, celebrities and scientific researchers called in newspaper editorials for people to vote for Macron, who styles himself as “neither of the left nor the right”. | But amid concerns in his camp that a high abstention rate could help Le Pen’s chances, company bosses, celebrities and scientific researchers called in newspaper editorials for people to vote for Macron, who styles himself as “neither of the left nor the right”. |
| Macron’s economic liberalism worries many voters on the left. While they will not back Le Pen, many say they will stay at home rather than vote for him. | Macron’s economic liberalism worries many voters on the left. While they will not back Le Pen, many say they will stay at home rather than vote for him. |
| Opinion polls say abstention could be as high as 30%, higher than in recent presidential elections, as the “Neither-nor” camp gains strength. | Opinion polls say abstention could be as high as 30%, higher than in recent presidential elections, as the “Neither-nor” camp gains strength. |
| Cedric Villani, a high-profile mathematician and commentator wrote in Libération that abstaining “is the equivalent of giving half of one’s vote to Marine Le Pen in the most important election that France has had for several decades”. | Cedric Villani, a high-profile mathematician and commentator wrote in Libération that abstaining “is the equivalent of giving half of one’s vote to Marine Le Pen in the most important election that France has had for several decades”. |
| Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a veteran rebel of French politics, called on supporters of hard-left firebrand Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who scored 19.6% in the first round, to put aside their “hate” of Macron. | |
| “Think rationally and vote for Emmanuel Macron and defend democracy and freedom,” the former ecologist Euro MP told Europe 1 radio. | “Think rationally and vote for Emmanuel Macron and defend democracy and freedom,” the former ecologist Euro MP told Europe 1 radio. |
| Le Pen and Macron will face off Wednesday in a what promises to be a fiery TV debate when the far-right candidate is likely to sharpen her attacks on a candidate she says embodies “the world of finance, of arrogance, of money as king”. | Le Pen and Macron will face off Wednesday in a what promises to be a fiery TV debate when the far-right candidate is likely to sharpen her attacks on a candidate she says embodies “the world of finance, of arrogance, of money as king”. |