Bombay Durpun - France's Le Pen vows to restore 'rule of law' at presidential kickoff

Le Pen -- the frontrunner in the polls -- seems to be benefiting from the convulsions France has been going through for weeks, punctuated by mass cost-of-living rallies and some violent clashes on Saturday and the previous week.

"We are going to restore the rule of law," she said, after looting and arson on the sidelines of demonstrations last weekend.

She was addressing 8,500 supporters of her nationalist, anti-immigration party in the city of Orleans, where Joan of Arc -- revered by the far right as a symbol of national resistance -- lifted an English siege in 1429.

"We are proposing for the country not a return to the past, but the dawn of a new era," the 58-year-old told the crowd, which broke into chants of "We're going to win, we're going to win."

Le Pen vowed to preserve France's cultural identity, from its language and traditions to its values and way of life, drawing thunderous cheers from supporters waving French flags.

"We want France to regain its strength," she added.

Among her supporters was Charlene Malingre, wearing a scarf emblazoned with the words "Marine President", who said she was increasingly concerned about insecurity in France.

"I think Marine Le Pen could save France from the state it's in today... particularly when it comes to the economy, security and maintaining law and order," the 23-year-old told AFP.

- 'Restore our borders' -

More than 400,000 people marched in major French cities on Saturday to protest against the rising cost of living, with clashes erupting after groups of masked protesters broke away from the demonstrations.

Police made more than 1,300 arrests and Interior Minister Laurent Nunez blamed much of the violence on "ultra-left" extremists.

Similar nationwide protests a week earlier also descended into unrest, following four weeks of student demonstrations over the poor state of France's schools.

Unions and Yellow Vest protesters have vowed to keep up their street marches in the weeks ahead.

Le Pen addressed supporters of her far-right party after deciding to run in elections beginning in April, despite an appeals court upholding a graft conviction against her.

She has accused Macron's centrist government of being soft on violent protesters and lacking authority.

"Who can claim that there is a rule of law when hordes come to ransack and burn our buildings?" she said.

The anti-immigration party's veteran candidate, who has run for the presidency three times already, also promised tougher immigration laws.

"We will restore our borders, and even establish double borders, both French and European," she said.

"French nationality will once again become a privilege that is either inherited or earned," she said.

- Counter protests -

Her deputy, Jordan Bardella, received a standing ovation as he took to the stage ahead of Le Pen, pledging a crackdown on the "ultra-left", lowering the age of criminal responsibility to 16 and the deportation of "delinquents and criminals".

The 31-year-old's speech was briefly interrupted by members of a Jewish student union who unfurled a banner referencing a French media report alleging he had deleted antisemitic messages from an old Facebook account.

On Sunday, police were filtering traffic going into Orleans, after thousands of counter-protesters opposed to Le Pen and her anti-immigration, nationalist RN marched in the city on Saturday chanting anti-fascist slogans.

"If the far right comes to power, we fear things will become much worse," 35-year-old yoga teacher Antonine Rochet said on Saturday.

If Le Pen wins the two-stage presidential elections in April and May, she has vowed to cut the cost of living through capped household energy bills, reduced taxes and trimming France's contribution to the European Union.

She is also critical of NATO and of France's support of Ukraine against Russia's invasion.

French voters, angry over Macron's perceived detachment over his two terms and his recent orders to curb the protests, are turning to more extremist politics, polling suggests.

An Ipsos survey published Saturday suggested Le Pen would win 32-34 percent of first-round votes.

The poll also found widespread anger over the unrest, with a majority believing that the government bears responsibility.

V.Handa--BD