In her short concessions speech, Marine Le Pen has vowed to carry on leading the fight against ‘the globalists’ by gathering together all of those who ‘choose France first’.
Marine Le Pen has vowed to carry on leading the fight against ‘the globalists’ by gathering together all those who ‘choose France first’.
But she said the name of her party Front National will have to change as she aims to carve out a new political force.
Le Pen delivered her concession speech less than 15 minutes after official exit polls confirmed her devastating defeat to Europhile Emmanuel Macron by 65 per cent to 35 per cent.
Speaking to an audience of party officials and close aides she said she would create a new force in French politics pitting ‘patriots against globalists’.
She said: ‘The Front National must renew itself to be up to this historic opportunity and to meet the expectations of the French people.
‘I call on all the patriots to join us to participate in this decisive political battle that starts from tonight.’
She added: ‘I will be at the forefront of this battle so that I can bring people together further still those who want to choose France.’
Le Pen congratulated Macron, saying: ‘The French have chosen a new president of the republic and voted to continuity. I congratulate him on his election because I have the best interests of the country at heart, I wish him success.
‘I wish him success in the face of the immense challenges facing France.
‘I would like thank the 11 million French people who gave me their voice and their confidence.
‘I want to thank the activists who have supported and accompanied me throughout this campaign.
‘I would like to thank [rival election candidate turned supporter Nicolas] Dupont-Aignan and his party Debout La France for their courageous choice.
‘The French people have chosen a patriotic and republican alliance as the first force of opposition.
‘The political groups who have taken the responsibility to elect Mr Macron have been discredited. The first round showed a breakdown in French politics with the elimination of the old parties.
‘The second round created a realignment of politics split between patriots and globalists. This choice between patriots and globalists will be presented to the French people in the parliamentary elections.
‘I will be at the head of this fight to gather together all of those who choose France first.
‘The Front National must renew itself to live up to this historic opportunity and expectations of the French people.
‘I plan to begin the transformation of our movement to create a new political force.
‘I am calling all patriots to join and participate in the decisive political battle that begins tonight.
‘More than ever in the coming months France will need you. Long live the Republic, Long live France.’
Despite crashing out of the contest yesterday, Miss Le Pen achieved doubled her father’s voting efforts, who in 2002 lost with 18 per cent.
Her deputy Florian Philippot announced that the party would be renamed describing how it would become ‘a new political force’.
He added: ‘Marine Le Pen said it clearly: the National Front will change. It’s going to change into a new political force which, necessarily, will not have the same name.’
Le Pen already has the backing of former Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who said: ‘Macron offers five more years of failure, more power to the EU and a continuation of open borders. If Marine sticks in there, she can win in 2022.’
Legislative elections are scheduled to take place on 11 and 18 June 2017 to elect the 577 members of the 15th National Assembly of the French Fifth Republic.
