Le Pen, Orban lambast EU at far-right rally

PARIS: French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday launched scathing attacks on the EU at a rally in France aimed at flaunting the unity and strength of the anti-immigration wing of European politics.

Aimed at marking one year since Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) crushed opponents to win their best-ever vote share in European elections, the get-together in Mormant-sur-Vernisson south of Paris brought together far-right leaders from across Europe.

The mood was buoyant and confident in the wake of Donald Trump’s return to the White House earlier this year and strong election results across the continent. Orban, revelling in his self-proclaimed status as the “black sheep of the EU” and “Brussels’ nightmare”, likened European migration policy to “an organised exchange of populations to replace the cultural base” of the continent.

Boasting of having been able to “push back migrants” in his country, even if it meant incurring sanctions from Brussels, Orban told the several thousands present: “We will not let them destroy our cities, rape our girls and women, kill peaceful citizens.”

Le Pen, in her speech, described the European Union as a “graveyard of politically unfulfilled promises” and termed it “woke and ultra-liberal”. “We don’t want to leave the table. We want to finish the game and win, to take power in France and in Europe and give it back to the people,” she said.

Her party previously backed France’s exit from the EU. But now it preaches European reform while remaining a member as Le Pen seeks to make the party electable and shake off the legacy of her late father Jean-Marie Le Pen.

Other attendees included Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and leader of the League party Matteo Salvini, the leader of Spain’s Vox party Santiago Abascal and former Czech premier Andrej Babis.