Eurosceptic Nicolas is Le Pen’s PM pick

Paris, April 29

Far-right candidate Marine Le Pen announced on Saturday that she would name a eurosceptic from outside her National Front party as prime minister if she wins France’s presidency in the May 7 run-off.

In a bruising contest against pro-European centrist Emmanuel Macron, Le Pen is hoping to broaden her base wide enough to win the decisive second-round election, despite polls suggesting she is 20 points behind.

The anti-immigration Le Pen, who wants to withdraw France from the euro, told reporters that she and Nicolas Dupont- Aignan, who lost in the election’s first round with 4.7 per cent of the vote, shared a “common project that we will promote together”.

Dupont-Aignan, 56, heads the Debout la France (France Stand Up) movement and, like Le Pen, favours pulling the nation from the eurozone.

Appointed by the president, France’s prime minister leads the government and ensures the implementation of laws.

Meanwhile, Macron was aiming to entice voters in rural central France to his pro free-trade, globalist message. — AFP