 The new popular front, a hastily assembled left-wing coalition, was projected to win around 29% of the vote. Huh. But a longtime pariah for many in France, Le Pen's party is now closer to power than it has ever been. Le Pen has sought to clean up the image of a party known for racism and anti-Semitism, a tactic that has worked amid voter anger at Macron, the high cost of living and growing concerns over immigration.