He can’t push through his reforms without support from parliament and the people, this his cack handed way of trying to get that. The president is not a god who can just do whatever he wants here, the french have repeatedly shown what will happen if he does try.

He’s trying to get the people to fall in line behind him using the boogyman of Le Penn’s mob so he can finish his reforms, it’s way he’s still doing regular press about this election despite him not being directly involved and him actually having a negative drag on the perception of the centre.