French far-right leader Marine Le Pen and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban on Monday lanched scathing attacks on the EU at a rally in France aimed at flaunting the unity and strength of the anti-immigration wing of European politics.<\/p>\n
Aimed at marking one year since Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) crushed opponents to win their best-ever vote share in European elections, the get-together in Mormant-sur-Vernisson south of Paris brought together far-right leaders from across Europe.<\/p>\n
The mood was buoyant and confident in the wake of Donald Trump’s return to the White House earlier this year and strong election results across the continent.<\/p>\n
Orban, revelling in his self-proclaimed status as the “black sheep of the EU” and “Brussels’ nightmare”, likened European migration policy to “an organised exchange of populations to replace the cultural base” of the continent.<\/p>\n
Boasting of having been able to “push back migrants” in his country, even if it meant incurring sanctions from Brussels, Orban told the several thousands present: “We will not let them destroy our cities, rape our girls and women, kill peaceful citizens.”<\/p>\n
‘Finish the game’<\/p>\n
Le Pen, in her speech, described the European Union as a “graveyard of politically unfulfilled promises” and termed it “woke and ultra-liberal”.<\/p>\n
“We don’t want to leave the table. We want to finish the game and win, to take power in France and in Europe and give it back to the people,” she said.<\/p>\n
Her party previously backed France’s exit from the EU. But now it preaches European reform while remaining a member as Le Pen seeks to make the party electable and shake off the legacy of her late father Jean-Marie Le Pen.<\/p>\n
Salvini meanwhile described migration as a “threat” to Europe.<\/p>\n