Marine Le Pen is the leader of France’s far-right and nationalist political party. Her momentum has stalled in the lead up to Sunday’s election. RussiaRecent days have seen a reemergence of this phenomenon.

Le Pen obtained 23.1% of the votes in the first round of the French election on April 10 — coming second and earning her a place in the final runoff this Sunday against incumbent President Emmanuel Macron27.8% received by.

Macron and Le Pen will face off in a rematch of 2017’s election. However, early polling indicates that her chances of winning are better this year.

However, Le Pen was accused Wednesday of being dependent on Russia in an important TV debate against Macron. Political commentators stated that Le Pen failed to strike any significant blows at the French president. A poll out Thursday suggested that Macron will win the second round with 55% of the votes, with Le Pen on 45%.

Le Pen’s campaign team had to throw out thousands of leaflets, including one of Le Pen shaking hands with Russia’s leader. Vladimir Putin. The scrapping was caused by a typographic error, according to her team.

During Wednesday’s two-hour debate, Macron said to Le Pen: “When I speak to Russia you are talking to my banker,” translated Macron. In 2014, Le Pen’s party National Front (now rebranded National Rally), requested loans from Russian banks. First Czech Russian Bank — a lender that is said to have links to the Kremlin. Le Pen refuted the allegations Wednesday by stating that she is a totally free woman.

Elle stated that the team pays their loans each month, and she borrowed only from Russian banks as no French lender would loan money to her party.

Earlier this week, Russia’s opposition leader Alexei Navalny — in prison since returning to Russia last year after being treated for a poisoning attack — urged French voters to support Macron and alleged that Le Pen was too closely linked to Russia. Bruno Le Maire, Macron’s Finance Minister, warned Le Pen against his policies. He told CNBC’s Charlotte Reed on Thursday that France will look to withdraw its support if Le Pen is first.

CNBC’s Mujtaba Rahman told CNBC that Le Pen managed to avoid scrutiny during the period leading up to the first round vote. “Mainly because the campaign was short and Zemmour so inept.” [a far-right politician who also ran in the first round]This made her more moderate.”

He said that the media’s scrutiny of the second round was “increasing,” especially in regard to her Russian ties.

Le Pen met Russian President Vladimir Putin face to face in 2017She was also present at the French presidential election in that year. She has also previously supported some of Russia’s foreign policies, including the decision to invade Ukraine’s Crimea in 2014 — arguing it was not illegal because the Crimean people had chosen to join Russia in a referendum.Both the Ukrainian government as well as Western nations deemed 2014’s vote illegal.

In 2017, it was back she also told the BBCFormer U.S. Presidents also supported the same policies that she stood for Donald TrumpAnd by Putin.

Le Pen declared earlier in the year that Russia was an ally and that it had increased its presence at Ukraine’s border. she did not believe that Russia wanted to invade Ukraine.

Le Pen welcomed France’s assistance to the Ukrainian refugee crisis since its invasion by Russia. However, she also critiqued some of the Moscow sanctions. She argued that these measures were hurting French companies and people.

Alberto Alemanno from H.E.C., professor of European law said that Wednesday’s discussion “will be remembered as a failed attempt to question Le Pen’s democratic legitimacy”. Paris Business School, via email. This was in response to Macron’s attack against Le Pen for his financial links with Putin’s Russia.

This is a way to grab the public’s imagination by associating Marine Le Pen’s vote with Putin’s Russia. He said that doing so during the Russian invasion in Ukraine is one of Macron’s most important defenses.”