French far right’s Le Pen seeks presidency of Calais region

Issued on: 30/06/2015 - 12:57

Charly Triballeau, AFP | Polls predict Marine Le Pen could take control of the large northern region around Calais

Text by: FRANCE 24 Follow

1 min

French far right leader Marine Le Pen announced Tuesday she will stand for president of the large Nord-Pas-de-Calais-Picardie region of northern France in December’s regional elections.

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Polls show she is favourite to win control of the region for her National Front (FN) party, despite maintaining a busy schedule as an MEP and making preparations to stand as the FN’s candidate in the 2017 presidential election.

And while the FN has a long history of having candidates in regional councils, it would be the first time a member of the anti-Europe and anti-immigrant party would be at the helm of such a powerful body.

“There’s no time to lose,” Le Pen told the iTELE television network on Tuesday. “The situation [in the Calais region] is degrading fast and we have to act now.”

“The national situation”, she said in reference to the 2017 presidential vote, “can wait”.