French far-right leader says EU vote a referendum on Macron

PARIS – French far-right leader Marine Le Pen says that the nation’s European Parliament elections amount to the referendum the “French asked for but didn’t get.”

Le Pen said before a final rally Friday that President Emmanuel Macron’s party “must not be first Sunday night.”

France has 34 lists but polls consistently show Le Pen’s far-right and Macron’s centrist parties battling for first place.

Le Pen’s lead candidate, Jordan Bardella, made a stark call for voters backing three other opponents to give his party their ballots so as not to waste them on potentially losing causes.

Le Pen said that “May 26 is the popular referendum the French asked for but didn’t get,” referring to demands by the yellow vest movement she has courted and other social discontent.