Macron attacks Le Pen on Russia, Muslim headscarf ban pledge

By JOHN LEICESTER and SYLVIE CORBET
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron has torn into his far-right challenger Marine Le Pen in a television debate for her ties to Russia and for wanting to strip Muslim women of their right to cover their heads in public, as he seeks the votes he needs to win another 5-year term. In their only head-to-head confrontation before the electorate has its say in Sunday’s winner-takes-all vote, Macron took the gloves off, arguing that his rival is unsuitable to lead the nuclear-armed and ethnically diverse European power. Le Pen, in turn, sought to appeal to voters struggling with surging prices. She said Wednesday bringing down the cost of living would be her priority if elected as France’s first woman president.