Marine Le Pen has worked for years at polishing the rough edges of the far-right National Rally, the party her rabble-rousing father Jean-Marie founded a half-century ago as the National Front, seeking the breakthrough that would finally secure the French presidency. For all her efforts, after eight attempts – Le Pen père's five presidential bids and his daughter's three – the far right now finds itself within striking distance of the Élysée Palace.
For five long years, Marine Le Pen has been plotting her revenge. Poised once again to vie for France's top job in an April 24 presidential run-off against the incumbent Emmanuel Macron, a rematch of their 2017 clash, she won't be content to lose this one.
