National front-runner: who can beat Le Pen?

<p>Marine Le Pen, party leader of France’s populist-right National Rally, starts her fourth presidential bid with a commanding lead. The country’s political centre is broad, fragmented—and <u><a href="economist.com/europe/2026/09/14/frances-centre…; rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">flagging</a></u>. A buffer zone against so-called infiltrators in India’s West Bengal state is making life <u><a href="economist.com/asia/2026/09/17/to-keep-out-infi…; rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">miserable</a></u> also for Indian citizens. And how Argentina’s supply of horses and cowboys led to world <u><a href="economist.com/the-americas/2026/08/19/polos-le…; rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">dominance</a></u> in polo. </p><p>Guests and host:</p><ul><li>Sophie Pedder, Paris bureau chief </li><li>Kira Huju, Asia correspondent</li><li>Hamish Clayton, culture writer</li><li>Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”</li><li>Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”</li></ul><p>Topics covered: </p><ul><li>French politics, Marine Le Pen</li><li>India, West Bengal, Bangladesh, Hindu nationalism</li><li>Argentina, polo</li></ul><p><em>Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—<u><a href="subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus"; rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">subscribe to The Economist</a></u>.</em></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a>; for more information.</p>