Defeated French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen claimed a \u201cmassive\u201d result for the far right in Sunday\u2019s presidential run-off against centrist Emmanuel Macron — but admitted that her National Front (FN) party had to undergo major change….<\/b>
\nDefeated French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen claimed a \u201cmassive\u201d result for the far right in Sunday\u2019s presidential run-off against centrist Emmanuel Macron — but admitted that her National Front (FN) party had to undergo major change. Separately, the FN\u2019s deputy leader, Florian Philippot, said the party would alter its name as it sought to transform itself into a \u201cnew political force.\u201d And in signs of a possibly wrenching internal debate about the future, Le Pen\u2019s powerful niece — long rumoured to be a potential successor — said the election result had been somewhat disappointing and \u201creflection\u201d was needed. Le Pen\u2019s firebrand father, Jean-Marie, meanwhile warned the party he founded had to \u201cremain true\u201d to its core principles. Estimates showed Macron winning 65-66.1 per cent of the vote compared with 35-33.9 per cent for Le Pen. Le Pen, speaking to supporters at a post-election FN gathering in Vincennes near Paris, said the outcome was \u201ca historic, massive result\u201d for the FN. The 48-year-old nationalist said her score made the FN the country\u2019s \u201cbiggest opposition force\u201d and announced she would lead the FN into general elections in June. Le Pen said the contest against the pro-EU Macron had confirmed a new faultline \u201cbetween patriots and globalists\u201d. But the FN would have to \u201cprofoundly renew itself to be equal to this historic opportunity and the expectations expressed by the French in this second round, \u201d she warned. \u201cI suggest we begin a profound transformation of our movement to create a new political force, \u201d she said, adding: \u201cI call on all patriots to join us.\u201d Separately, Philippot said on TF1 television: \u201cThe National Front is going to evolve, it\u2019s going to use this rallying energy.\u201d The party, he said, \u201cis going to transform itself in a new political force which, by definition, will no longer have the same name.\u201d Le Pen took the helm from her father in 2011 and has worked hard to try to cleanse it of an image for xenophobia and anti-Semitism. But her swing to moderation has also alienated die-hard supporters, especially among loyalists of her father. Sunday\u2019s result was the highest-ever score in a presidential election in the 44-year history of the FN, founded by Le Pen senior in October 1972. But it still fell well short of the party\u2019s craving to capture the presidency, a post that in France carries vast powers. Meanwhile, Le Pen\u2019s 27-year-old niece, Marion Marechal-Le Pen, said she felt a \u201ccertain amount of disappointment\u201d at the result and said it was time for \u201creflection.\u201d Jean-Marie Le Pen, asked about his daughter\u2019s plans for a makeover, said the party had to be \u201cremain true… to the basics of the National Front.\u201d \u201cThese are the basics of the National Front, which enabled this movement to be the only one which was set up in the 20th century and which has endured, \u201d the 88-year-old said on RTL radio. Le Pen senior had harsh words for Philippot, saying he was \u201cone of the main people to blame for Marine Le Pen\u2019s defeat.\u201d \u201cI was thinking perhaps that he had the idea of running away, \u201d Le Pen said sarcastically.<\/p>\n

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