PARIS—The two leading candidates in France’s presidential election clashed sharply over Europe in a televised debate on Tuesday night, with centrist Emmanuel Macron accusing the National Front Marine Le Pen, his anti-European Union rival, of lying.
The three-hour debate involves all 11 candidates, some of whom draw one percent or less of support in polls, and a majority of which are against the EU.
Rounding on the National Front leader, who wants to leave the euro, hold a referendum on EU membership and curb immigration, Macron said: “Nationalism is war. I know it. I come from a region that is full of graveyards.”
The centrist, who voiced his strong pro-European views, comes from the Somme region, a major battlefield in World War One.
Le Pen, who also came under attack from conservative Francois Fillon, hit back: “You shouldn’t pretend to be something new when you are speaking like old fossils that are at least 50 years old.”
Macron then retorted: “Sorry to tell you this, Madame Le Pen, but you are saying the same lies that we’ve heard from your father for forty years.”
