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French far-right leader Jordan Bardella has said his party is ready to govern as he pledges to curb immigration and tackle cost-of-living issues ahead of the country's most divisive election in decades.
He said this at a press conference in France on Monday.
President Emmanuel Macron threw France into turmoil by calling the snap election after his centrist party was trounced by the far-right National Rally (RN) in a European vote.
Weekend polls showed the RN garnering 35-36 per cent of voting intentions in the first round on Sunday, ahead of a left-wing alliance on 27-29.5 per cent and Macron's centrists in third on 19.5-22 per cent.
He called on voters to give his party an outright majority to allow it implement its anti-immigration and law-and-order programme.
"Seven long years of Macronism has weakened the country," he said, vowing to boost purchasing power, restore order and change the law to make it easier to deport foreigners convicted of crimes.
He reiterated plans to make it harder for people born on French soil to gain citizenship and to cut "spending that favours immigration".
Bardella added that the RN would focus on "realistic" measures to curb inflation, primarily by cutting energy taxes.
He also promised a "big bang of authority" in schools, including a ban on mobile phones and trialling the introduction of school uniforms, a proposal previously put forward by Macron.
On foreign policy, Bardella said the RN opposed sending French troops into Ukraine – as mooted by Macron – but would continue to provide logistical and material support.
He also said his party, which had close ties to Russia before its invasion of Ukraine, would be "extremely vigilant" in the face of Moscow's attempts to interfere in French affairs.
