François Asselineau is standing for a seat in the European Parliament in an attempt to deliver on his plans to take France out of the European Union. The leader of the Popular Republican Union (UPR) has pledged to adopt the strategy Nigel Farage used to popularise the idea of Brexit from inside the bloc. Outlining his plans on France 24, Mr Asselineau said: “If the British voted for Brexit is because Nigel Farage made the idea popular
“He made it popular because he was elected at the European Parliament.”
Mr Asselineau insisted the presence of French eurosceptic MEPs in Brussels and Strasbourg would help the public across France hear the arguments in support for Frexit.
He continued: “It’s very important the French have in the EU Parliament MEPs in favour of Frexit and who can explain in front of the whole European Parliament and in front of the European media the reasons why we must put an end to this continental dictatorship which hides its true nature.”
The prospective candidate insisted Brexit had shown leaving the bloc could be accomplished but the willingness of the “partisans of the EU” to accept the will of the people.
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He added: “What is difficult for the Britons is not quitting the European Union – everything was ready on March 29.
“On March 29, we organised a big demonstration in London and 650 Frenchmen travelled to the UK to celebrate the Brexit that was supposed to happen.
“What is difficult is not leaving the European Union but having the partisans of the European Union accept universal suffrage.”
Mr Asselineau has remained the strongest supporter of Frexit after National Rally leader Marine Le Pen conceded her party would seek to reform rather than leave the EU.
While running against now-President Emmanuel Macron, Ms Le Pen had vowed to “free France from EU tyranny.”
The rivalry between Mr Macron and Ms Le Pen is now heating up again ahead of the European parliamentary elections in May, which are shaping up to be a decisive battle between populists who are anti-Europe, and pro-EU progressives.
The results could not only signal an imminent electoral change in France but also indicate, if Ms Le Pen makes gains, that Frexit could happen sooner than we thought.
in April, Ms Le Pen pledged to turn her party into “a very large group defending nations and opposing this EU” as she announced plans to join forces with Italian eurosceptic Matteo Salvini in preparation for the EU vote.
She also added that it is “absolutely necessary” to defeat Mr Macron “in what we can call the mid-terms”.
She explained that if the French President lost in the European elections, it would send a message that he “cannot continue the second part of his mandate as he started the first”.