0
‘France will secede from NATO’
Marine Le Pen discusses her political agenda with Kommersant
The 2012 presidential election campaign has begun in France. The leader of the far-right National Front party, Marine Le Pen, who is ahead of Sarkozy in opinion polls, is getting ready for her first official visit to Russia. Marine Le Pen spoke about why France needs to secede from NATO, how Europe should deal with the influx of immigrants, and what attracts her about Vladimir Putin, with Kommersant’s correspondent, Elena Chernenko.
Elena Chernenko: The closer we get to the presidential election, the higher your ratings become. How do you explain this?
Marine Le Pen: We have reached a certain turning point. We are witnessing the decay of the Anglo-Saxon model, which has been imposed on us and which is based on principles of ultra-liberalism and rejection of national sovereignty. The French people are beginning to see the destructive nature of the policy of open borders and mass influx of immigrants, a laissez-faire attitude to security, a refusal to adopt protectionist economic measures and an unpatriotic attitude toward domestic producers. This policy has led to disastrous results, but neither the Union for a Popular Movement (Nikolas Sarkozy’s party), nor the Socialists are able to change anything, as they are simply unable to offer the country an alternative path.
EL: And that is something you can do?
MLP: Yes, as we are the only truly patriotic party. We believe that success and prosperity in France can only be achieved by the strengthening of security, the preservation of the national identity, and patriotism. The National Front is the only party that holds to the policy principles of General de Gaulle. Like him, we support an independent, strong, and influential France, a France that bases its policies on its strategic interests, rather than the desires of other countries, such as the United States.
EL: What will happen if Nikolas Sarkozy stays for a second term?
MLP: I do not think that’s possible. The world is standing on the brink of some serious financial shocks, which will have a particularly strong effect in the Eurozone. Many economists are doubtful that the euro will hold its ground and are predicting a crisis in Europe. I do not believe that Sarkozy will be able to go on leading the country under such conditions. The only thing that will be able to pull France out of the crisis is a return to fiscal sovereignty and our national currency. And that is precisely what we support. At the same time, I strongly believe that this crisis opens some great opportunities for France, as paradoxical as it may sound. And not only for France, but for the whole of Europe – the Europe of free and sovereign nations, which we want to create. The crisis could give rise to changes in the domestic and foreign policy of France, which has long needed to stop conforming to the US and turn towards Russia. I have long been saying that we need to develop relations with Moscow and not Washington, because we share many common interests both in cultural and strategic terms.
EL: More than with the Unites States?
MLP: Of course! American culture is far removed from French and European culture – that is a fact of history. Therefore, I cannot but worry when I see and feel how our president is turning his back on Russia, as desired by the United States. And he is not alone. At a nod from the US, Russia is demonized in the French media. It’s not easy for politicians, who support building a closer relationship with Russia, and one needs to have a lot of courage to abandon this position, which has already become politically incorrect.
EL: That is something that is rarely heard from a European politician.
MLP: Well, I may be the only one in France who stands up for Russia, but I’m not the only one in Europe. At the same time, I believe that Russia is not actively developing relations with European politicians and players who, like myself, sympathize with Moscow and are ready to promote this position. The US, in this sense, is a lot more active – and that’s the problem.
EL: If you become president, will France secede from NATO?
MLP: Yes, I have opposed France’s involvement with the Alliance since the very beginning. In this sense, I fully agree with the opinion of General de Gaulle, who was against the idea of subjecting France’s national interests to any other foreign power – including the United States. Meanwhile, I am confident that the European states must co-operate in the field of security, but I do not see a reason why Russia cannot be a part of this process. European countries should work with Russia to develop a plan to build the Europe of the future.
EL: How do you envision the future Libya, where regime change has taken place under active involvement of French forces?
MLP: I doubt that the new leadership will be able to create democracy. I was against the Libya invasion, and against involvement in the situation in Syria and Cote d’Ivoire. I believe in diplomacy, especially on a regional level. The problems of Libya, Egypt, and Tunisia need to be handled by their Arab or African neighbors. In any event, that is better than an intervention by Western states. I do not believe that NATO and the EU countries have done something heroic in Libya. Forces were absolutely unequal, so the Alliance does not have much to be proud of. At the same time, I understand that the US is pursuing its interests by promoting all of these pseudo-democratic revolutions across the globe, but I do not understand why Europe complies and why Russia is not protecting its interests on the same level as the United States.
EL: Usually, actions of this type on the part of Russia are perceived with a great deal of caution in the West, including the European Union.
MLP: Yes, that is true, because the process of demonization of Russia is taking place at the level of the EU leadership and at the wishes of the US, which is trying to create a unipolar world. I believe in a multipolar world. As for the situation in North Africa and the Middle East, it is hard to say now how it will end. I do not exclude the possibility that the secular dictators may be replaced by a Sharia dictatorship. But in the West, Eastern dictators are separated into the good and bad. The good are, for example, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and the bad – all those who do not pander to us or do not give us their oil. All of the deposed regimes were secular dictatorships – Egypt, Tunisia, Libya. And now, radical Islamists are fighting for power in all of these countries. And they do not need or want democracy or freedom. It is extremely dangerous for Europe to have such neighbors.
EL: What are the possible implications of this?
MLP: An increase in the flow of immigrants to Europe won’t be the only consequence. I’m afraid that we will have to pay a very high price for Sarkozy’s adventure. Though it was not so much his initiative – he, to my great regret, was guided by the US. It’s no big deal for the US, but we have already received 25,000 immigrants from Tunisia and Libya. Meanwhile, we have almost 5 million unemployed, an enormous foreign debt and a budget deficit. The social system is barely able to withstand the current load, though we continue to annually accept 200,000 new immigrants, and that is not counting illegals. France has long been unable to cope with this influx either financially, or in terms of our national identity, which has already begun to change as a result of mass immigration.
A very accurate forecast, in this regard, was given by Vladimir Putin, who said that France could become a colony of its former colonies. And that is precisely what I am fighting against. It’s not out of hatred or xenophobia, but out of love for my country. I want France to remain France. In the last 30 years, we have already accepted 10 million people – it’s time to stop this invasion.
EL: What do you suggest?
MLP: First, we need to reduce legal immigration to the very minimum. Then we need to make sure that France stops being an attractive country for immigrants. Today, you come to France, and even as an illegal you are immediately granted practically the same rights as the French. You are given benefits, social housing, free education and healthcare. I am confident that if we do not offer anything to immigrants, they will stop coming. We need to worry first about our own people. And yet, as soon as someone starts to criticize the leadership’s immigration policy, they are immediately called a racist. I believe that we cannot forget about the country’s national interests in favor of political correctness. I am confident that the majority of the French people think the same.
EL: All that is left is for them to vote for you in the election. In Russia, things are much simpler. The name of the future president has already been basically determined. The authorities call this stability; the opposition, a sign of lack of democracy. Be that as it may, if you become president, you will most likely be dealing with Vladimir Putin. What is your opinion of him?
MLP: We also do not have an ideal democracy in France and, therefore, do not have the right to give Russia lessons in democracy. But I openly admit that, to some extent, I admire Vladimir Putin. He makes mistakes, but who doesn’t? The situation in Russia is complicated, and one cannot expect all the problems stemming from the collapse of the Soviet Union to be quickly resolved – they require time. I think that Vladimir Putin has principles and a vision of the future that is necessary to ensure Russia’s prosperity, which it deserves. And more active co-operation with France and the European states could expedite this process.
http://rt.com/politics/press/kommers...ato-secede/en/
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by Joe McCarthy
France
Bookmarks