Le Pen rejects Russian endorsement as interference in French elections
During an interview on TF1, French right-wing politician Marine Le Pen has condemned a recent tweet from the Russian Foreign Ministry as a provocation and an attempt at interference in France's internal affairs.
"The people of France are seeking a sovereign foreign policy that serves their national interests & a break from the dictate of Washington & Brussels.
French officials won’t be able to ignore these profound shifts in the attitudes of the vast majority of citizens," reads the message from the Russian Foreign Ministry, which was accompanied by a photo of Le Pen. This tweet comes ahead of the second round of parliamentary elections due to be held in France on 7 July.
Despite being perceived as a Kremlin ally, Le Pen's response was decidedly strong. She insisted on distancing herself from any Russian support, underscoring how toxic associations with the Kremlin have become in France.
"When such a showy and provocative tweet is posted, it can be considered a form of interference in France's affairs," she asserted. According to her, if the Russian authorities were genuinely interested in her party’s success, they would not have made such a post.
Political analysts in Europe note that over the past few years, Russia's image has become so toxic in public perception that Marine Le Pen quickly had to disassociate herself from the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ tweet. This gesture alone is quite telling.
In Russia, for reasons unclear, there seems to be a belief that a rise in power of right, conservative, or even ultranationalist forces in Europe will decrease hostilities. However, it is likely that nothing will change except the grounds and causes for new conflicts, writes Russian commentator and blogger Anatoly Nesmiyan.
"Generally speaking, the naivety about external factors by our bureaucracy is akin to folly. The problem is not with bad leftist or rightist Europeans and politicians. The problem is not with cunning and ruthless Chinese. The problem is not with anyone else. The fundamental issue for Russia is the absence of a national elite. People occupying top positions and having access to resources exist, but there is no national development project. Neither the West nor the East nor the South perceive the Russian nobility as equals. Hence the mix of disdain, apprehension, and hostility. Essentially, Russian nouveaux-riches are only akin to other global outcasts or marginal figures. The rest either view them with hostility or cynically exploit the clinical idiocy of the Kremlin," he stresses.
To recap, the first round of early parliamentary elections took place in France on June 30, with the ultraright leading.