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Le Pen attacks election rivals, accuse French media of backing Macron, Fillon

French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen speaks on stage during a campaign rally at the Zenith de Nantes venue in Saint-Herblain on February 26, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

French far-right National Front presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has denounced the policies of her election rivals and accused media of favoring her opponents.

Addressing her supporters in the French western city of Nantes on Sunday, Le Pen accused centrist presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron and right-wing contender Francois Fillon of being backed by banks and media groups, saying the two did not believe in France anymore.

"Our two main competitors want to bring the state under control. These people are not free. One is the insurance candidate, the other is the one of the bank and the media," Le Pen said.

French presidential candidate for the "En Marche" movement Emmanuel Macron thumbs up after delivering a speech during a meeting in Saint-Priest-Taurion, central France, on February 25, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Taking a swipe at Macron, the 48-year-old candidate said that, “The media have chosen their candidate. They are campaigning hysterically for their darling.”

Le Pen called Macron the "candidate of the Rothschild bank," who "promoted immigration" in Berlin and then went to Algeria to "justify a migratory highway between Algiers and Paris."

She further lashed out at the French media, saying “They take the moral high ground, pretend to only analyze the facts and then shout about the freedom of the press as soon as you criticize them.”

Le Pen also claimed that the justice system in France was being used to influence the outcome of the election.

French presidential candidate for the right-wing Les Republicains (LR) party Francois Fillon delivers a speech during a public rally in Maisons-Alfort, near Paris, on February 24, 2017. (Photo by AFP)

Two new polls released on Sunday showed Le Pen still winning the first round of the election on April 23 with 27 percent, but with Macron closing the gap on her with 25 percent.

The polls say Le Pen would lose to Macron in the run-off vote.

Both Le Pen and Fillon are facing allegations of misusing public money.

European Union officials claim Le Pen, also a member of the European Parliament (MEP), used EU funds to pay a total of €340,000 to her bodyguard and a Paris-based assistant.

Fillon is also facing allegations over claims that he paid his British wife nearly €830,000 as a parliamentary assistant for more than a decade, and also paid his two eldest children a total of €84,000 as assistants while he was a senator.


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