In the upcoming French election, the Russian government has made its preference clear, throwing its support behind Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party. The official stance was articulated by Russia's Foreign Ministry in a social media post accompanied by a photo of Le Pen, stating that the people of France desire a sovereign foreign policy that serves their national interests and breaks away from the influence of Washington and Brussels.

The ties between Le Pen's party and Russia have long been known. In the past, the National Rally opposed European Union sanctions against Moscow for the invasion of Ukraine, further cementing their affinity. Although Le Pen initially advocated for deepening diplomatic ties with Russia in her presidential program for 2022, this proposal was recently discreetly removed from the party's manifesto in an effort to appear more respectable and allay concerns from France's international partners.

The National Rally's relationship with Russian financing has also come under scrutiny. The party took out a significant €9 million loan from a Russian bank in 2014 to fund its local election campaign. It was only last year that the party finally repaid the loan in full.

As the French prepare to head to the polls this Sunday for the final round of the snap parliamentary election, recent developments suggest that Le Pen's National Rally may face an uphill battle. Despite earning over 33 percent of the votes in the first round, their prospects of securing an absolute majority in parliament and forming a government have diminished. This shift in fortunes stems from a coalition formed by centrist and left-wing candidates who have joined forces in an attempt to thwart the National Rally's rise to power for the first time.

These profound shifts in the political landscape of France have not gone unnoticed by French officials. Whether the Russian government's explicit support for Le Pen will have a significant impact on the election outcome remains to be seen. However, it is clear that the choices made by the French voters this weekend will shape the future direction of the country and its relations with global powers, including Russia.