Front National leader Marine Le Pen praises Brexit as she launches campaign for French presidency

Rally: Marine Le Pen, leader of France's far-right Front National, speaks at the launch of her election campaign
EPA
Tom Powell6 February 2017

Marine Le Pen has launched her French presidential election campaign by hailing Donald Trump and the Brexit vote as great successes.

The far-right leader of the Front National told a rally in Lyon that she would protect France from radical Islam and free it from the “failed European Union”.

Buoyed by an increasing trend towards the rejection of globalisation, the Front National’s support base is growing as France faces an increasingly open election battle.

Congratulating the controversial 45th US President, Ms Le Pen said: “Donald Trump is keeping his promises, acting fast and strong in the interest of his people.”

Marine Le Pen has promised to hold a referendum on France's EU membership
EPA

The 48-year-old set out her plans to tackle terrorism and globalisation in front of thousands of supporters at her first campaign rally.

“What is at stake in this election ... is whether France can still be a free nation,” she announced. “The divide is not between the left and right any more but between patriots and globalists.

“This presidential election puts two opposite proposals – the 'globalist' choice backed by all my opponents... and the 'patriotic' choice which I personify.”

Marine Le Pen hailed Donald Trump for following through on his 'promises'
EPA

If elected, Ms Le Pen wants to hold a referendum on EU membership and restrict rights such as free education to French citizens only.

She also wants to limit immigration to 10,000 people a year, deport all foreign convicts and impose taxes on the employment of foreigners.

Thousands of protesters march to Downing Street in Trump rally

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France goes to the polls on April 23 in what is shaping up to be one of the most open elections in decades.

Polls suggest Ms Le Pen’s Front National will win the first round of votes but lose in the two-way run-off vote in May.

Former favourite Francois Fillon, of the Republican right-wing party, is embroiled in a scandal over payments made to his wife.

Therefore Emmanuel Macron, the charismatic 39-year-old independent candidate who has publicly slammed the Front National, has emerged as Ms Le Pen’s unlikely main opponent.

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