French conservative candidate vows to end Macron’s centrism

By BARBARA SURK and CHRISTOPHE ENA
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — In her first address as a French conservative presidential candidate, Valérie Pécresse is vowing to break with President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist policies and to defeat the extremism of her far-right presidential rivals. She is the first woman chosen to run as The Republicans party presidential candidate. Since the announcement last week, Pécresse has been gaining in popularity. Some polls even expect her to reach the presidential runoff with Macron in the second round of voting. The French president is expected to seek a second term although he has not officially declared his candidacy for the April 10 vote. Pécresse declared Saturday that “it will be Emmanuel Macron or us!”