Marine Le Pen tells followers 'leave now if you want to go' as far-right party defections shake election hopes
French politician Marine Le Pen has told followers to "leave now if
you want to go" as her far-right party suffered a series of defections
in the April election build-up.
"Those who want to leave can do so
but they need to do it now," she told followers at a meeting of
European far-right leaders in Madrid.
"Having people here while their heart or their mind is elsewhere is unbearable.
"It is a total lack of dignity and respect towards all of our supporters."
It comes as her niece voiced approval for Ms Le Pen's rival Eric Zemmour, saying he was a better candidate for the country's presidential election.
Her niece, Marion Marechal, made the comments in an interview with French newspaper Le Parisien, saying her aunt showed a "lack of logic and vision".
Ms Marechal is herself a popular figure among far-right voters, and
an ideological divide between the two has been speculated about for
years.
She is reportedly considering joining Mr Zemmour's party, which holds more extreme views on issues like immigration.
Ms Le Pen's party National Rally - formerly National Front - had already suffered the defection of two EU lawmakers.
Ms Le Pen is placing second or third in opinion polls, as both her
and Mr Zemmour battle for the support of nationalist voters in a bid to
face current president, Emmanuel Macron, in the next round.
Her
father led National Rally for years until she took over in 2011, with
the party dominating far-right politics for decades, but it has failed
to achieve major electoral success.
Mr Zemmour, a far-right TV pundit, entered the race in November, and has since voiced anti-Islam and anti-migrant views.
He said he would appeal the decision.
European Parliament member Gilbert Collard joined Mr Zemmour's
Reconquest party from National Rally in a sign the TV pundit's entrance
into the race could split the hard-right vote, with more extreme voters
attracted to his radical views.
Mr Macron is leading polls, however, and is expected to win the 2022 election comfortably.
This
is despite also performing poorly in the country's regional elections
with the ruling Republique en Marche party failing to win a single
region outright.
Most candidates voiced frustration at low turnout, with only 33% of France's voting population taking part.
The incumbent is yet to formally confirm he will seek re-election with the announcement expected soon.
The
French parliamentary elections will also be held this year, when the
leaders of the country's political parties will again fight for seats
Marine Le Pen and her niece Marion Marechal in 2016
Eric Zemmour and Marine Le Pen are two far right candidates challenging Emmanuel Macron for the French presidency
