Hollande’s ‘last task’ to prevent Le Pen ‘threat’

PARIS — The “threat exists” of a victory by far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in the upcoming French presidential elections, even though polls suggest France will not “give into the temptation” of the extreme right, incumbent president, Francois Hollande said Sunday.

“The threat exists” because “the extreme right hasn’t done so well for more than 30 years, but France won’t give in,” Hollande told six leading European newspapers on the day he held a European mini-summit with the leaders of Germany, Italy and Spain at the Versailles palace.

The French were aware that the votes on April 23 and May 7 would “determine not only the destiny of our country but also the future – even of the European framework,” he said.

“If the National Front candidate wins, she will immediately begin a process of leaving the euro zone and even the European Union,” he warned.

“This is the aim of all populists, wherever they are: to leave Europe, close off from the world and imagine a future surrounded by barriers of all kinds and borders defended by look-out posts,” he said, alluding to US President Donald Trump, who says he will build a wall between the US and Mexico.

His last task, before leaving the Elysee Palace in mid-May, was to “do everything to ensure France is not taken over” by the far-right.