The leader of France’s right wing Front National party has said she wants a British-style renegotiation with the European Union (EU) regarding immigration and financial integration.
“We will enter into negotiations with the European Union over the euro and Schengen. That’s exactly what Great Britain is doing”, Marine Le Pen is reported to have said during a talk about the party’s political line, where their policy to leave the Eurozone was discussed.
On Monday, she told Tf1 Television the Front National is looking to clarify their policy of withdrawing from the Eurozone amid concerns that the prospect is scaring off some older voters with savings and are consequently cautions of financial instability. It was decided, however, that their position would not be altered.
“David Cameron’s example was frequently cited at the meeting,” Wallerand de Saint Just, the anti-euro party’s treasurer and a member of its executive board told Politico.
“He has shown the example of how to deal with the European Union: You behave like Tarzan, you swing from the trees, and everybody else falls into line”, he said.
Mr. Saint Just, however, was unsure about the difference between Cameron’s Tories and UKIP. At one point, he even appeared to suggest that Nigel Farage and the British Prime Minister were in the same party.
Regardless, the sentiment from the Front National was that they are impressed with the levels of euroscepticism coming from British politicians at this time, however insincere it may or may not be.
Furthermore, with Mr. Cameron being an elected and well-established European leader, the feeling is that if Ms. Le Pen can attach herself to his policy direction, her party’s own eurosceptic policies will be given a credibility boost among French voters.