Candidates in pivotal French legislative elections make final push in torrid campaign ahead of vote

PARIS (AP) — Candidates in France’s pivotal and polarizing legislative elections are making their last push for the second and decisive round of voting after a three-week campaign marked by hate speech, verbal abuse and physical attacks. French Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin says his ministry has registered 51 verbal and physical attacks against candidates, their deputies or their supporters during campaigning for the high-stakes parliamentary elections that end on Sunday. Thirty thousand police officers will be deployed Sunday to ensure the results “are respected whatever they may be,” Darmanin said in an interview with French broadcaster BFM on Friday.