'France has gone to the dogs!' Marine Le Pen making inroads in conservative heartland in blow to Macron

It was a stronghold for ex-Prime Minister Francois Fillion.

However, the rural constituency could soon send a far-right representative to the National Assembly for the first time.

National Rally’s lead candidate Jordan Bardella snapped up 32 per cent of the vote in the recent EU Parliament Elections.

Macron’s centrist coalition only managed to obtain 19 per cent support.

A similar result could soon follow after Macron called a snap election.

Recent nationwide polls suggest the National Rally and its conservative allies could get 35.5 percent of the vote, compared to 29.5 percent for the left-wing alliance and 19.5 percent for Macron’s coalition.

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National Rally sealed an electoral deal with Les Republicains leader Eric Ciotti.

Marie-Caroline Le Pen, sister of the populist party’s leader Marine Le Pen, is standing in Sable-Sur-Sarthe.

A report by Politico showed a number of former Macron voter switching to National Rally.

Martine, a retired child minder, said: “The people want radical change. It’s all going to the dogs.”

She added: “My main concern is purchasing power … I can no longer buy meat, when I go shopping, I spend €100 and hardly have anything to show for it.”

Philippe also told Politico: “But there’s one thing that’s for sure, I won’t vote for Macron.”

The area was long-regarded as Gaullist territory but Bardella launched his “Conquest of the West” campaign to consolidate support in the conservative countryside.

Sylvie Casenave-Péré, 65, is standing as the candidate for Macron’s centrist coalition.

She said: “Send me to the National Assembly, I’m super motivated!”

Casenave-Péré added: “I pity her, she [Marie-Caroline Le Pen] has been sent here but she doesn’t know the region, it’s a snub against the Sarthe residents.”