Macron's minister warned of a financial crisis if the far-right wins

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire warned on Friday that the country faces the risk of a financial crisis if the far-right wins snap elections in the coming weeks.

The minister was quoted by the Reuters agency on Friday, reports "Europeyska Pravda".

Opinion polls show that Marine Le Pen's Eurosceptic National Union, which has promised to cut electricity prices, gas VAT and increase government spending, has the best chance of winning early elections.

"When I look at the far-right, I see a program that consists of lies," Le Maire said in an interview with Franceinfo radio. He called on voters to support candidates from President Emmanuel Macron's centrist party, to which the minister belongs.

The National Union calls for protectionist economic policies and has made lowering the cost of living a top priority of its election campaign. The party also proposed to increase public spending, despite the significant level of public debt.

French bonds and stocks have fallen sharply this week, with ratings agency S&P Global, which recently downgraded the country's credit rating, saying the policies championed by the National Union could have implications for the credit rating.

Asked whether the current political instability could lead to a financial crisis, Le Maire said yes.

"It has to do with the political programs that are on the table and are about whether we can continue to finance this debt," he said.

"I'm sorry, but they (the far right) don't have the funds to afford these expenses," Le Maire said.

Meanwhile, Le Pen and National Union leader Jordan Bardella accused Le Maire and Macron of lying about the state of the French economy.

"So that you can understand the real state of the public accounts after such lies from the economy minister, we will summarize the financial state and the budget of the country," Bardella said in a campaign video late Thursday night, explaining what will be one of his first decisions, if he becomes prime minister.

Meanwhile, support for French President Emmanuel Macron has fallen to its lowest level since December 2018 amid his party's unsuccessful European Parliament elections.