MARINE LE PEN: A NEW ERA FOR FRANCE?

Marine Le Pen, France's far-right presidential candidate, has officially launched her campaign to succeed President Emmanuel Macron, promising to restore the rule of law, strengthen national identity and introduce tougher immigration policies.

Speaking to approximately 8,500 supporters in Orléans, Le Pen presented herself as a candidate capable of bringing stability and authority to a country experiencing political and social tensions. Her campaign comes at a time when France has witnessed violent incidents, including looting and arson during demonstrations over the rising cost of living.

"We are going to restore the rule of law," she declared, arguing that the government has failed to maintain public order and protect citizens.

Le Pen also promised to preserve France's cultural identity, including its language, traditions, values and way of life. She argued that France needs to regain its strength and enter a new political era rather than return to the past.

Her supporters believe she could offer solutions to some of France's most serious problems, particularly insecurity, economic difficulties and immigration. However, critics fear that her policies could increase social divisions and threaten the rights of certain groups.

One of her main campaign promises involves introducing much stricter immigration laws. Le Pen has proposed restoring national borders and establishing additional controls at both French and European levels. She has also suggested that French nationality should become a privilege that people either inherit or earn.

Her deputy, Jordan Bardella, has supported an even tougher approach, promising to crack down on extremist political movements, lower the age of criminal responsibility to 16 and deport foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes.

However, Le Pen's campaign is not without controversy. She is seeking the presidency despite an appeals court upholding an embezzlement conviction against her. She has also faced criticism over her political positions and the consequences her proposals could have for minorities and foreign residents.

Thousands of people opposed to her political movement have organised demonstrations, expressing fears that a far-right government could make discrimination and social tensions worse.

Le Pen has also promised economic measures to reduce the cost of living, including capped household energy bills, lower taxes and reductions in France's financial contribution to the European Union.

Her foreign policy positions have raised further questions. She has expressed criticism of NATO and France's support for Ukraine following Russia's invasion.

Recent polling suggests that Le Pen could receive between 32 and 34 percent of the vote in the first round of the presidential election, making her a serious contender.

France now faces an important political choice: should it embrace Le Pen's promise of stronger national authority and stricter immigration policies, or should voters be concerned about the possible consequences for democracy, equality and social cohesion?

2. VOCABULARY MATCH — PART 1

Match words 1–10 with their meanings A–J. Write the correct letter next to each number.

Word	Meaning
1. Sovereignty	A. A person who competes for an elected position
2. Controversy	B. The ability to govern or control oneself
3. Candidate	C. Strong disagreement or public discussion
4. Crackdown	D. The authority of a country to govern itself
5. Discrimination	E. A situation in which people have different opinions
6. Insecurity	F. Unfair treatment of particular groups
7. Authority	G. A strict action taken to control illegal behaviour
8. Conviction	H. The power or right to make decisions
9. Division	I. A feeling of uncertainty or lack of safety
10. Policy	J. A formal decision that someone is guilty of a crime

3. VOCABULARY MATCH — PART 2

Word	Meaning
1. Preserve	A. To make something less severe
2. Restrict	B. To bring something back
3. Reinforce	C. To keep something in its original condition
4. Restore	D. To support or strengthen something
5. Deport	E. To remove someone from a country
6. Implement	F. To put a plan or policy into practice
7. Prioritise	G. To limit or control something
8. Mitigate	H. To give something greater importance
9. Oppose	I. To express disagreement with something
10. Inherit	J. To receive something from a family member

4. SYNONYM MATCH

Match words 1–10 with their closest synonyms A–J.

Word	Synonym
1. Restore	A. Disagreement
2. Tougher	B. Preserve
3. Controversial	C. Authority
4. Strengthen	D. Reinstate
5. Opposition	E. Strict
6. Maintain	F. Reinforce
7. Privilege	G. Disputed
8. Crackdown	H. Advantage
9. Power	I. Suppression
10. Tensions	J. Hostility

5. BECOME THE PERSON — FRANCE'S POLITICAL DIVIDE

Choose a situation. Imagine you are that person. Speak in the first person and explain your position, concerns and what you believe should happen next.

Scenario A — Marine Le Pen

You are launching your presidential campaign. You believe France needs stronger borders, stricter immigration policies and greater authority. You must convince voters that your proposals will improve the country.

Scenario B — The Opposition Leader

You strongly disagree with Le Pen's political programme. You believe her proposals could threaten equality, democratic values and the rights of minorities.

Scenario C — A French Business Owner

You run a business in France and are concerned about the economy, taxation, immigration and the availability of workers. You want political stability but are unsure which candidate would benefit businesses.

Scenario D — A Foreign Resident in France

You have lived and worked in France for several years. You are concerned about proposals involving French nationality, immigration and the rights of foreign residents.

Scenario E — A Young French Voter

You are 23 years old and frustrated with traditional politicians. You are concerned about employment, housing, security and the cost of living. You are considering voting for Le Pen.

Scenario F — A Political Journalist

You are interviewing Le Pen before the election. Your job is to challenge her arguments, question her proposals and investigate whether her promises are realistic.

Discuss:

What are your biggest concerns about France?
What do you think is the country's biggest political problem?
What changes would you introduce?
What criticisms would you expect to receive?
What would you say to someone who strongly disagrees with you?
What would make you change your political position?

6. WHAT WOULD YOU DO? — REAL-LIFE POLITICAL SCENARIOS

Read each situation. Choose the response you consider most appropriate. Explain your decision and discuss what you would do next.

Situation 1 — A Controversial Political Speech

A presidential candidate makes a speech promising to introduce extremely strict immigration laws. The speech receives enormous support from some citizens but creates anger among others.

A. Avoid discussing the issue because it is too controversial.

B. Encourage an open debate about the proposals, their benefits and their possible consequences.

C. Publicly attack everyone who supports the candidate.

Situation 2 — Rising Crime and Public Fear

A series of violent incidents makes people increasingly concerned about their personal safety. Politicians begin promising tougher punishments.

A. Introduce the harshest possible punishments immediately.

B. Examine the causes of crime and consider policing, prevention, education and the justice system.

C. Ignore public concerns because crime statistics may be exaggerated.

Situation 3 — Immigration and Labour Shortages

A French business is struggling to find enough employees. At the same time, politicians are proposing stricter immigration restrictions.

A. Support closing the borders regardless of the economic consequences.

B. Consider the country's economic needs alongside immigration controls and labour market requirements.

C. Ignore immigration laws because businesses need workers.

Situation 4 — A Controversial Candidate

A candidate with a criminal conviction is running for president. Some voters believe the conviction should disqualify the candidate, while others believe voters should make the final decision.

A. Automatically ban the candidate from political life.

B. Examine the legal situation and distinguish between legal eligibility and political judgement.

C. Ignore the conviction completely.

Situation 5 — A Divided Workplace

Two employees regularly argue about immigration and politics. Their disagreements are beginning to affect teamwork and productivity.

A. Ban all political conversations permanently.

B. Establish respectful discussion rules and make it clear that personal attacks and discrimination are unacceptable.

C. Dismiss the employee whose political views you dislike.

Situation 6 — Misinformation During an Election

A misleading video about a political candidate goes viral just days before the election. Thousands of people share it without checking whether it is genuine.

A. Share it because it supports your preferred candidate.

B. Verify the information and encourage people to consult reliable sources.

C. Ignore the situation because misinformation is unavoidable.

Follow-up questions:

Which situation would be the most difficult to deal with?
Should politicians be held responsible for the consequences of their public statements?
Is it possible to have strict immigration policies without discriminating against foreigners?
Should people separate political disagreements from professional relationships?
How can voters distinguish between genuine political promises and campaign propaganda?

7. THE FRENCH ELECTION — THE CAMPAIGN STRATEGY ROOM

France is approaching a presidential election in which Marine Le Pen is emerging as a serious contender.

Her campaign focuses on national identity, immigration, public security, economic concerns and restoring the authority of the state.

However, her opponents argue that her proposals could increase discrimination, weaken social cohesion and create tensions with European institutions.

Your task: Work in teams. Each team represents a political movement preparing for the French presidential election. Develop a strategy to convince voters that your political programme is the best option for France.

Part A — Choose your political role

Team A — National Rally (RN): Support Le Pen's proposals. Focus on national sovereignty, immigration restrictions, security and cultural identity.
Team B — The Centre: Defend a moderate approach. Focus on political stability, economic growth, European cooperation and social compromise.
Team C — The Left: Oppose Le Pen's programme. Focus on equality, workers' rights, public services and the protection of minorities.
Team D — The Conservatives: Focus on law and order, traditional values, economic responsibility and national security.
Team E — The Liberal and Pro-European Movement: Focus on individual freedoms, international cooperation, economic competitiveness and European integration.

Part B — THE POLITICAL SPIN TEST

For each statement, decide whether it is fair criticism, political manipulation or a mixture of both. Explain your answer.

"France needs stronger borders to protect its national sovereignty."
"Anyone who supports stricter immigration laws is automatically racist."
"The government must address people's concerns about crime and insecurity."
"Le Pen's policies will inevitably destroy French democracy."
"A country has the right to decide who can become one of its citizens."
"Politicians should not use people's fears to gain electoral support."
"The European Union has too much influence over national governments."
"A politician's personal legal problems should be considered when voters evaluate their suitability for office."

Part C — PREPARE YOUR CAMPAIGN MESSAGE

Work together to prepare a short presidential campaign speech.

Your speech must include:

One central message explaining your vision for France.
Two major problems you want to address.
Three policies you would introduce.
One argument explaining why voters should trust your movement.
One criticism of a competing political position and a response to that criticism.

Present your speech to the class. The other teams must challenge your proposals with at least two questions.

8. THE PRESIDENTIAL CABINET — YOU HAVE €100 BILLION

You have just become the new French president. Your country faces serious challenges involving security, immigration, the economy, public services and national identity.

You have an additional €100 billion to invest in your political programme.

Your cabinet must agree on how to distribute the money.

Your proposed budget

Area	Budget	What the money will pay for
Public security	€25 billion	Police resources, crime prevention and public safety
Immigration management	€15 billion	Border controls, asylum procedures and immigration administration
Healthcare	€15 billion	Hospitals, medical staff and healthcare services
Education	€15 billion	Schools, teacher recruitment and vocational training
Economic development	€20 billion	Business investment, employment and infrastructure
Integration and social cohesion	€10 billion	Language programmes, community projects and integration initiatives
Total	€100 billion

Your task

Discuss the proposed budget as a team. You may keep the original amounts or change them, but your final budget must equal €100 billion.

Negotiation questions

Which area deserves the largest investment? Why?
Should security receive more funding than education?
Should immigration management be prioritised over economic development?
How can the government reduce the cost of living?
Would you invest more money in border controls or integration programmes?
How would your budget change if France entered an economic recession?
Which spending decision would be the most controversial with voters?

Negotiation rule: Every student must defend one spending decision, disagree with another student's proposal and suggest one compromise.

9. FINAL DEBATE — WOULD MARINE LE PEN MAKE A GOOD PRESIDENT OF FRANCE?

Divide the class into two teams. Choose a side and prepare your arguments.

Team A — PRO: Marine Le Pen could be the president France needs.

Your arguments:

France needs stronger national leadership and greater political authority.
Stricter immigration policies could help the government regain control of its borders.
Her economic proposals could help households struggling with the cost of living.
Voters deserve an alternative to the traditional political establishment.
Protecting national identity and cultural traditions is a legitimate political objective.

Team B — ANTI: Marine Le Pen would be the wrong choice for France.

Your arguments:

Her immigration proposals could increase discrimination and social division.
Her political programme could weaken France's relationship with European partners.
Tougher policies do not necessarily solve the underlying causes of crime and insecurity.
Her proposals could threaten the rights and security of minorities and foreign residents.
France needs social cohesion and democratic safeguards rather than more political confrontation.

Debate questions

Is national identity becoming more important than international cooperation?
Can a country protect its borders while remaining open and tolerant?
Does a government need to be tough to be effective?
Should voters prioritise economic stability over social equality?
Is the rise of far-right politics a reaction to the failures of traditional political parties?
Can stricter immigration policies solve the problems politicians promise to address?
Should a candidate's criminal conviction influence voters' decisions?
Is political extremism becoming more attractive because moderate politicians have lost credibility?

Speaking challenge: Each student must present one argument, challenge another student's position, defend their own opinion and suggest a possible compromise.

10. THE PRESIDENTIAL INTERVIEW — FACE TO FACE WITH MARINE LE PEN

Work in pairs. One student plays Marine Le Pen and the other plays a journalist. Conduct a challenging presidential interview. Then swap roles.

The journalist must ask difficult questions, challenge political promises and request specific explanations.

The candidate must defend her policies, respond to criticism and convince the journalist that her proposals would benefit France.

Interview situations

A. Immigration and National Identity

Le Pen has promised stricter immigration laws and additional border controls. Critics argue that these policies could undermine equality and create discrimination.

B. Law and Order

Following violent demonstrations, Le Pen has promised to restore the rule of law. Critics question whether tougher policing and punishments would address the underlying causes of social unrest.

C. The Economy and Cost of Living

Le Pen has promised capped household energy bills, lower taxes and reductions in France's contribution to the EU. Journalists want to know how these policies would be financed.

D. France and the European Union

Le Pen has criticised aspects of European integration and wants France to regain greater national control. Critics argue that France benefits economically and politically from European cooperation.

E. Political Integrity

Le Pen is seeking the presidency despite an appeals court upholding an embezzlement conviction. Journalists want to know whether her legal problems should affect voters' confidence in her leadership.

F. Social Division and Democracy

Thousands of people oppose her political movement. Critics fear that her policies could increase tensions between different communities. She must explain how she would unite the country if elected.

Journalist's challenge questions

How would you convince people who are afraid of your political programme?
How would you protect the rights of people who disagree with your policies?
Where would the money come from to finance your economic promises?
What evidence do you have that stricter immigration policies would improve public security?
How would you prevent France from becoming more politically divided?
What would you say to someone who believes your movement threatens democracy?

Final challenge

At the end of the interview, the journalist must decide:

Would you vote for this candidate? Why or why not?

Explain your decision using specific arguments from the interview rather than simply stating whether you agree politically.