France’s Le Pen ‘determined’ to revitalise far right

Series Title
Series Details 10.09.17
Publication Date 10/09/2017
Content Type

Background
Following the defeat for Marine Le Pen and the Front National (FN) of the win by Emmanuel Macron in the second round of the Presidential Election in France on the 7 May 2017, there was inevitably going to be much soul searching and repercussions.

Marine Le Pen said that FN itself would undertake a 'profound transformation', including a possible change of name. Marine Le Pen was seen to be positioning herself and the party as 'the primary opposition force'.

There were said to be internal divisions with the party as to the direction of policy including on issues relating to Europe.Features discusses how Marine Le Pen was planning in the autumn of 2017 to revitalise her right-wing Front National and position itself as the main opposition to President Macron's centrist movement.

A party congress was planned for early 2018 to debate and decide on a new policy strategy. One suggestion was that the party would formally drop its opposition to the participation of France in the eurozone.

However Euro|Topics, and other news sources, reported in September 2017 that after a row with leader Marine Le Pen, vice president Florian Philippot had quit the Front National. The party's key strategist and representative of the self-styled modern wing resigned after Le Pen effectively stripped him of his power. Journalists discussed what this meant for France's political landscape.

Source Link https://www.thelocal.fr/20170910/frances-le-pen-determined-to-revitalise-far-right
Related Links
ESO: Background information: Marine Le Pen’s moment of truth, May 2017 http://www.europeansources.info/record/marine-le-pens-moment-of-truth/
Politico, 08.09.17: Marine Le Pen ready to drop euro exit plan, says ally http://www.politico.eu/article/marine-le-pen-ready-to-drop-euro-exit-plan-says-ally/
The Telegraph, 08.09.17: Marine Le Pen a 'hindrance' to Front National say French as far-Right leader returns to quell feud http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/08/marine-le-pen-hindrance-front-national-say-french-far-right/
Politico, 15.09.17: Marine Le Pen to critics: I’m not going anywhere http://www.politico.eu/article/marine-le-pen-to-critics-im-not-going-anywhere/
Euro|Topics: Debates, September 2017: Front National weakened by power struggle? http://www.eurotopics.net/en/186557/front-national-weakened-by-power-struggle
BBC News, 21.09.17: Florian Philippot: Le Pen's top aide quits National Front http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-41345877
Deutsche Welle, 21.09.17: Le Pen's right-hand man Florian Philippot quits France's National Front http://p.dw.com/p/2kPz1
The Local.fr, 21.09.17: Le Pen's deputy quits party as National Front crisis rumbles on https://www.thelocal.fr/20170921/france-marine-le-pen-deputy-philippot-quits-as-national-front-party-rift-deepens
France24, 21.09.17: Split looms in French far right as Marine Le Pen’s key aide quits http://www.france24.com/en/20170921-french-far-right-split-looms-after-key-le-pen-key-aide-quits-front-national
Blog: LSE EuroppBlog, 26.09.17: Where does Florian Philippot’s resignation leave the Front National? http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2017/09/26/where-does-florian-philippots-resignation-leave-the-front-national/
Politico, 21.09.17: Florian Philippot quits France’s National Front http://www.politico.eu/article/florian-philippot-quits-france-national-front-far-right/

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