Marine Le Pen Calls Francois Fillon’s Endorsement of Macron a ‘Betrayal’

During a visit to the international market in Rungis Tuesday, anti-mass migration candidate Marine Le Pen called conservative former Republican candidate François Fillon’s immediate endorsement of Emmanuel Macron an act of “treason” against his supporters.

Ms. Le Pen visited the famous international market in the southern Paris suburb and talked to media about a number of issues including the endorsement by Fillon of Macron. During a breakfast consisting of coffee and croissants, she slammed Fillon saying she could understand how many of his supporters could feel let down by his immediate endorsement of pro-globalist Macron on Sunday evening, Le Figaro reports.

“These are the people who defended their candidate in extremely difficult conditions and who were rewarded by listening to their candidate at 8:02 pm saying that we must vote for Mr. Macron,” she said adding: “Do you realise the feeling of betrayal of these people?”

The endorsement of Macron by Fillon took many observers by surprise by how quickly he endorsed the En Marche candidate after realising that he could not progress to the second round.

Fillon, who was plagued by scandal during the first round campaign, ran on similar issues as Le Pen, promising to be tougher on crime and radical Islam.

Le Pen also took the opportunity to hit out at her opponent Macron who she will face in the second round of the French presidential election on 7 May. Calling Macron and his party En Marche adherents of “radical ultra-liberalism”, she said she would protect farmers and producers like those at the market from Macron’s policies and the stifling effect of European Union regulations.

Le Pen outlined three things she wanted to see come about under her presidency: more economic protection, less immigration, and more France.

Reactions to her visit were mixed. Business owners and producers gave Le Pen a warm welcome, while workers, often of immigrant backgrounds, shouted “racist” at her as she passed by. One journalist was even hit by a tomato directed at the candidate by one worker.

Eric Rocher at butcher shop Déplanche said he supported Le Pen because of her economic policy saying: “She claims to be an advocate for small and medium-sized businesses, and it seems to me to be more secure.”

After her visit to the market, Le Pen paid her respects at Les Invalides for the policeman who was killed in the terrorist shooting last Friday in central Paris on the Champs Elysee.

Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson@breitbart.com