France is heading into a presidential election where incumbent President Emmanuel Macron is facing off against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen. Macron and Le Pen have a contentious relationship, which was on display during their first and only debate. Le Pen has a history of being Islamophobic, xenophobic, and has been cozy with Russian President Putin. Despite her extremist views, she has attempted to rebrand herself as a kinder, gentler racist, and has even become a cat breeder to improve her image. The election is expected to be a close one, with Macron's approval numbers being weak and Le Pen gaining traction among voters who are angry about issues such as a refugee crisis, the pandemic, and rising inflation.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. France is having a national election.
2. The election is a rematch between current President Emmanuel Macron and far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.
3. The two candidates will face off on April 24th, as a repeat of their 2017 election.
4. Marine Le Pen is the leader of the far-right party and this is her third and final attempt at the French presidency.
5. According to polls, Marine Le Pen has never been this close to winning the presidency.
6. France has experienced a refugee crisis, a pandemic, and rising inflation, which has led to anger among French voters towards Macron.
7. Marine Le Pen has a history of being Islamophobic, xenophobic, and has cozied up to President Putin.
8. Le Pen has modeled her campaign on President Trump's and has expressed a desire to leave the EU.
9. Le Pen has rebranded herself as a kinder, gentler version of her previous self, but hasn't abandoned her extremist views.
10. The election is seen as a choice between a moderate incumbent with weak approval numbers and a far-right candidate with a history of extremism.