Le Pen leads France polls as business damage tops 2,500

Marine Le Pen holds the lead in polls for the French presidential election set for spring 2026. Her standing has risen over the past several weeks as economic stagnation sparked widespread unrest. The protests have inflicted measurable costs on the country. Reports indicate that 2,500 businesses sustained damage during the demonstrations. Additionally, 1,500 police officers were injured in the clashes.

Le Pen is benefiting from the social volatility despite her history. She has lost three previous bids for the presidency and is currently appealing an embezzlement conviction. In a recent interview with 60 Minutes, she linked the current state of the nation to the economic difficulties and the actions of extreme-left rioters.

Immigration remains the core of her platform. Le Pen argues that France must expel newcomers who do not assimilate into society. She stated that immigrants are statistically more likely to be unemployed than French citizens. Consequently, she believes the country can no longer afford to import unemployed people, a move she says will stabilize the local economy.

When 60 Minutes contributor Trevor Phillips suggested that discrimination drives high immigrant unemployment, Le Pen rejected the premise. She asserted that such discrimination does not exist in France. She told Phillips not to import those ideas from elsewhere. She repeated the claim, labeling France the least racist country in the world.

Le Pen distinguished the French integration model from the American approach. She described the American view as a layered cake where different communities maintain their own customs. In contrast, she said the French expect immigrants to blend into the national community. She emphasized that France expects newcomers to integrate fully rather than existing as separate groups.

On the topic of remigration, Le Pen said she would argue for the departure of immigrants not adopting the French way of life. She described a scenario where an individual explicitly states they hate the local culture and do not wish to respect the laws. In such a case, she said the message would be clear: the door is wide open, and the individual might even be forced to leave if necessary.

Phillips noted that two decades ago, the French public often referred to Le Pen’s political party as extremist. He asked whether the French people had changed or if her image had evolved. Le Pen responded that she would not allow people to say France had become extremist. Instead, she suggested that French people have simply gotten to know her better over time.