PARIS (AP) — French far-right leader Marine Le Pen is facing stinging criticism for making her party too mainstream, dulling its extremist edge, and ignoring grassroots members. Voices from inside and outside the National Rally are warning this could cost her votes in next year’s presidential race. The rumblings grew louder after the party’s failure a week ago in regional elections, and come just ahead of this weekend’s party congress. Le Pen is the anti-immigration National Rally’s unquestioned boss, and her fortunes aren’t expected to change at the two-day event in the southwestern town of Perpignan. But there could be an uncomfortable reckoning, just as Le Pen is trying to inject new dynamism into the party.
