Portrait of Marine Le Pen
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Marine Le Pen on European Union (EU)

Sovereigntist EU reformer (strong) Position evolved

Marine Le Pen's views on the European Union (EU) have undergone a significant evolution, moving from advocating for France to leave the bloc to seeking internal reform while prioritizing national sovereignty.

As the leader of the National Rally (RN), she now favors replacing the EU's supranational and federalist structure with a confederation of sovereign nations, often referred to as a 'Europe of the Nations.' This position was clearly articulated around 2019, marking a major pivot from her earlier platform, which included calls for a referendum on EU membership.

Le Pen's opposition is directed at the 'Europe of Brussels' which she criticizes for imposing 'ultra-liberalism and free trade' principles that harm French employment and social equity. Her goal remains to ensure that national laws and interests take precedence over EU directives, a core element of her economic nationalism.

Context

Marine Le Pen has served as a Member of European Parliament (MEP) from 2004 to 2017, giving her direct experience within the EU institutions she often criticizes. Her political evolution on the EU is central to her broader strategy of 'de-demonisation' of her party.

This softening of the EU stance allows the National Rally (RN) to appeal to a wider base of voters, contrasting with the party's past explicit goal of a total French withdrawal.

Timeline

  1. In her opening speech as new FN President, Marine Le Pen denounced the 'Europe of Brussels' for imposing destructive principles.
  2. During the 2012 presidential run-off, she accused both candidates of 'surrendering to Europe' and financial markets.
  3. Le Pen promised a referendum on France's membership of the European Union if her goals for renegotiation were not met within six months.
  4. It was reported that Le Pen no longer advocated for France to leave the European Union or the euro currency.

Actions Taken

  1. Voting Record
    As an MEP, Le Pen and other National Front representatives voted against the formation of the Juncker Commission in July 2014.
  2. Parliamentary Alliance
    Le Pen announced the formation of the 'Europe of Nations and Freedom' parliamentary grouping, composed of her National Front party and allied Eurosceptic parties.

Related Positions

  • Economic Nationalism Her opposition to EU free trade policies is intrinsically linked to her advocacy for protectionism and economic nationalism.
  • Schengen Area Le Pen called for France to withdraw from the Schengen Area and reinstate border controls following the migrant crisis.
  • Euro Currency While once calling for leaving the Eurozone, she reversed this position by 2019 to focus on internal EU reform.

Criticism

Angela Merkel

The German Chancellor stated that Le Pen "will contribute to make other political forces stronger than the National Front" in 2016.

Sources4

* This is not an exhaustive list of sources.