Frexit: EU becomes hot-button issue in French election
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PARIS: Such is Marine Le Pen's aversion to the European Union that the French far-right leader demanded the removal of its star-spangled flag from a TV studio before agreeing to a recent interview.
Her chief rival in the race for the French presidency, centrist Emmanuel Macron, pointedly waved an EU flag from the podium at a campaign rally the next day.
Love it or loathe it, the European Union has become a hot-button issue in the election, fanning fears far beyond France in the wake of Britain's Brexit vote that a "Frexit" could doom the 60-year-old bloc.
"Rarely has the European issue held such a pre-eminent place on all the candidates' platforms as in this electoral campaign," said analyst Pierre Vimont of the Carnegie Europe think tank.
In the five years since France's last presidential vote, Europe has seen a massive migrant crisis and a rise in populism, both contributing to the Brexit vote.
None of the four main French candidates can afford to be neutral on the EU, whether they portray it as the source of all woes or a guarantee of peace and stability.
Like Macron, conservative candidate Francois Fillon is bullish on Brussels, highlighting the Franco-German leadership axis and defending the euro.
Both candidates met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during the campaign.
Arrayed on the other side are Le Pen, who advocates leaving the EU immediately, and hard-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon, who demands a renegotiation of key treaty provisions.
"Positions have hardened," said Manuel Lafont Rapnouil of the European Council on Foreign Relations. "Melenchon was very influenced by what happened to (Greek anti-austerity party) Syriza," which gave in to European demands after months of crisis. (APP)
