She's instinctively part of the centor right. She has had to take a pretty tough line on some questions about emigration erer identity politics. But many ways, i actually think she has been always a sort of cultural conservative. This means that she has tried to straddle a position that doesn't make sense to a lot of people. It's both moderate in some respects, especially on the economy, but when it comes to valuesd and and identity, she comes across as really very right wing.
The first round of the presidential election is on Sunday and our first-ever series has been following the race closely. This compendium of the first six dispatches looks at the candidates, their platforms and the sharply shifting political landscape in France.
For full access to print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, subscribe here www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer