Worlds Collide in the French Election

French voters have a choice of two worlds May 7 between the internationalist, centrist presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron and the isolationist, far-right National Front leader Marine Le Pen. The election could signal drastic changes to French defense and foreign policy or it could mean more of the same.

Le Pen and Macron agree on a few points when it comes to defense but the policies they would implement differ. Take fighting Islamic extremism, for example. Both candidates have made this a top talking point in their campaigns, especially after April’s deadly attack on a police bus in central Paris.