'Rue du Brexit' Support for Le Pen gathers pace as tensions continue to BOIL OVER
THE MAYOR of a French town reportedly blighted by anti-social behaviour has said his country ready for Marine Le Pen and her own EU exit ambitions.
Mayor: 'French people come first' as Brexit inspires Frexit
Beaucaire’s Julien Sanchez, of Front National, spoke about the town’s aspirations to follow in the footsteps of the UK after he named a street a “Rue du Brexit”.
He told Sky News he remained positive Ms Le Pen would become President following the elections next month.
“The priority we are demanding for the country and the one that Marine Le Pen is putting forward is that French people come first for health care, housing allowances and unemployment because it is they who built this country,” he said.
Residents in the town in the south of France aired their discontent with the establishment as support for the Front National gathers pace.
Julien Sanchez praised Marine Le Pen's vision for France
Protestors attack convoy of Marine Le Pen supporters
The priority we are demanding for the country and the one that Marine Le Pen is putting forward is that french people come first
Local businessman Thierry Popoff said he was concerned about anti-social behaviour and drug dealing becoming rife in recent years.
He explained why he was now ready to give his vote to Ms Le Pen.
“Perhaps to change, to have a new hope, so I will certainly vote Marine Le Pen – perhaps I’m mad.”
Mr Popoff admitted there would be a “risk” in voting for the far-right candidate but said he wanted to “try something different”.
Concerned resident Thierry Popoff said he was planning to vote Le Pen
Also speaking to the news channel was the mayor of Béziers Robert Ménard, who previously came under fire for telling refugees squatting in his town to leave.
He said: “Béziers is the model that needs to be implemented throughout France. People call this a laboratory for what needs to be done in France.
“And that’s exactly it – a laboratory that needs to be done for this country and I believe Marine Le Pen believes so too.”
The comments came as European lawmakers voted to lift Marine Le Pen’s parliamentary immunity to allow French prosecutors to take legal action against the party leader for tweeting pictures of ISIS violence.
Ms Le Pen is under investigation for “publishing violent images” of ISIS executions, an offence which carries a penalty of three years in prison and a £64,000 (€75,000) fine.