COURNON-D’AUVERGNE: French far-right leader Marine Le Pen said Wednesday she would block all action by any new government, compounding the country’s political deadlock.
“I vote against everything,“ said the three-time far-right presidential candidate.
She repeated a call for President Emmanuel Macron to “seriously consider” dissolving parliament and call early legislative elections, or “even his resignation”.
“The problem with our political leaders today is that they get on the horse not to go somewhere, but for a rodeo,“ Le Pen, 57, said at a livestock fair in central France.
Their idea is “how long can I hold on while the horse tries to throw me off?”
France has been mired in political deadlock ever since Macron took the gamble last year of snap elections that he hoped would consolidate his power but ended instead in a hung parliament and more seats for the far right.
The legislative chamber has since toppled two prime ministers in a standoff over next year’s austerity budget.
A third, Prime Minister Lecornu, resigned on Monday after criticism of his new cabinet line-up.
He has however stayed on until Wednesday evening at Macron’s request in a last-ditch bid to break the impasse.
Le Pen spoke after the outgoing premier earlier on Wednesday said he thought consensus could be reached on a budget, pushing away the prospect of new snap polls.
He has held talks with centrist and right-wing politicians, and was due to wrap discussions with the left on Wednesday.
The far right has rejected his invitation to take part in consultations.
Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party is leading voting opinion polls and senses its best ever chance of winning power in the next presidential elections due in 2027, with Macron barred from running.
Macron, who was first elected in 2017, has repeatedly said he would serve until the end of his second term. – AFP
