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WORLD NEWS Monday 8 July 2019

Rising French far-right star resurfaces and flirts with fire

By ELAINE GANLEY President Emmanuel Ma-
Associated Press cron’s centrists and hopes
PARIS (AP) — She vowed to maintain momentum
to stay out of politics and ahead of municipal elec-
even dropped the French tions next year.
far right’s signature name In a TV interview in early
— Le Pen — from her moni- June, she said she wanted
ker. But Marion Marechal, a to build a “grand alliance
former star lawmaker who’s of the right” — though she
still only in her 20s, is now insisted her intentions were
tip-toeing back into the po- devoid of personal ambi-
litical arena, and is already tion. Marechal has been
causing trouble. regarded as a potential
Widely seen as a potential presidential candidate in
party leader, the 29-year- the 2022 election, or later,
old’s discreet meetings in raising occasional tensions
recent days to build bridges with her aunt, who was
with enemy conservatives, roundly defeated in 2017
crippled by their crushing by Macron after making it
defeat in European Parlia- to the runoff. Former White
ment elections, are further House strategist Steve Ban-
unsettling the mainstream non praised her as a “ris-
right. The forays into forbid- ing star” — on a stage he
den territory by the woman In this June 22, 2018 file photo, Marion Marechal delivers a speech as she inaugurates the Institute shared with Marine Le Pen
once voted the most pop- of Social Sciences, Economics and Politics (ISSEP) in Lyon, central France. at an important National
ular in the far-right National Associated Press Rally congress.q
Rally party (formerly the than a dozen officials and
National Front) led by her lawmakers of The Republi-
aunt, Marine Le Pen, have cans, or LR, caused a fire-
also raised questions about storm within the main con-
Marechal’s political inten- servative party. The con-
tions — and whether a new servative mainstream has
war within the Le Pen clan long been extremely wary
is afoot. of liaisons with France’s
Marechal is the darling of far right, but the meeting
her controversial grandfa- suggested that some con-
ther, Jean-Marie Le Pen, a servatives may believe the
National Front co-found- only way to survive is by
er expelled by daughter joining forces with the likes
Marine for repeating anti- of Marechal.
Semitic remarks that got Senate leader Gerard
him convicted. Marechal Larcher, of the LR, said
is more conservative than those who met at a Paris
her aunt. Addressing a restaurant with Marechal
major forum for American have placed themselves
conservatives last year, “outside” the party.
she decried the European “I have always said there
Union and said France is was a firewall between us
becoming “the little niece and the National Rally,”
of Islam.” party, he said on LCI TV.
To Jean-Marie’s disappoint- “Whether you like it or not,
ment, Marion dropped out this (dinner) was a breach.”
of politics two years ago, Those who attended risk
refusing to seek a new exclusion from the party,
mandate as a National Larcher said, making clear
Rally lawmaker to found a that for him they already
private school in Lyon seen had “placed themselves
as a training ground for far- outside the values of our
right leaders. political formation.”
She denies speculation Meanwhile, France’s pow-
she is making an end-run erful business lobby Medef
around Aunt Marine for a invited Marechal to speak
comeback. Nevertheless, about the rise of populism
the noise created after at at its annual summer gath-
least two below-the-radar ering — but then canceled
meetings became known the whole panel after the
underscores Marechal’s idea left many aghast.
potentially pivotal role in The National Rally came to
the power politics of the the forefront of French poli-
French right. tics with its win in the Euro-
A dinner in late June be- pean Parliament elections
tween Marechal and more in May. The party bettered