Catholic Marine Le Pen blasts Church for ‘meddling’ in French election
PRESIDENTIAL hopeful Marine Le Pen, the leader of France’s anti-immigrant and anti-Europe Front National party, said on Friday that she was a devout Catholic but was currently at odds with the Church.
Marine Le Pen said she was a devout Catholic but that she was currently at odds with the Church
She was frustrated at “meddling” religious leaders telling followers who to vote for in the French election, which will see its first round of voting on Sunday April 23.
She told French Catholic daily La Croix: “I am extremely religious. But it’s true, I’m angry with the Church, because I think that it’s poking its nose into others’ affairs and not minding its own business.
She said she was frustrated at 'meddling' religious leaders telling followers how to vote
The history behind Marine Le Pen's party
“Members of France’s bishops’ conference tend to meddle in affairs that do not concern them by trying to influence voters’ political opinions and attitudes.”
I am extremely religious. But it’s true, I’m angry with the Church
She did not think religious officials should have the right to tell the French “who they should vote for” in the upcoming presidential election.
The current presidential front-runner did, however, add she would invite Pope Francis to the Elysée Palace in Paris if she wins the presidency “with great pleasure”.
The French election will see its first round of voting on Sunday April 23
But told him to stay out of “political interference”.
Pope Francis called in February for a radical change of attitude towards EU-bound migrants, saying that they should be welcomed with dignity and should not be treated as “unworthy rivals”, before denouncing the “populist rhetoric” he said was fuelling fear across the West.
Mrs Le Pen has vowed to stop legal and illegal immigration to France if voted into power in May.