Marine Le Pen questions French president’s role as army chief ahead of elections

French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and conservative politician Eric Ciotti, attend a press conference by far-right National Rally party president Jordan Bardella, Monday, June 24, 2024 in Paris. The upcoming two-round parliamentary election will take place on June 30 and July 7. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

With just three days to go until France’s landmark legislative elections, the country’s far-right leader on Thursday raised the question of who would be in charge of the military if her party takes over the government after the two-round balloting.

The early elections are plunging France into uncharted territory, and political scientists are scrambling to interpret how exactly President Emmanuel Macron and a prime minister who is hostile to most of his policies would share power if Marine Le Pen’s National Rally wins the majority in the National Assembly, France’s lower house of parliament.