Foreign

France’s Le Pen: far-right will rebuild, continue fight against EU

September 21, 2017

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Marine Le Pen, French National Front political party candidate for French 2017 presidential election, smiles before voting in the second round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Henin-Beaumont — Marine Le Pen, French National Front (FN) political party candidate for French 2017 presidential election, smiles before voting in the second round of 2017 French presidential election at a polling station in Henin-Beaumont, France, May 7, 2017. REUTERS/Charles Platiau

Repeats with slug Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s far-right National Front, said the party would rebuild after her number two quit on Thursday and said she would continue to campaign against the EU and for “national sovereignty”.

“The National Front will rebuild itself without difficulty,” she told LCP television. “There are lots of talented people, lots of people with profile… that I am going to lead.” Her deputy Florian Philippot, who advocated a strong line against the euro and drafted the manifesto for this year’s presidential election, when Le Pen resounding lost the run-off to Emmanuel Macron, quit over policy differences.

Rather than softening her stance on the EU in the wake of his departure, Le Pen said she would pursue that line.

“National sovereignty is a mainstay of our struggle,” she said. “We will continue to fight the European Union with all our soul because it is an instrument for the elimination and impoverishment of our people.”