Le Pen Lays out Plan for French ‘Economic Patriotism’

Le Pen
Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images

(AP) – French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen envisions the protective hand of the state guiding a reordered economy that punishes companies that fail to serve the interests of the nation and rewards those that put France first.

In a speech on Wednesday, Le Pen laid out the nationalist policies based on “economic patriotism” that would be put enacted if she wins the two-round presidential election.

They include a tax of up to 35 percent for French companies that produce their goods elsewhere then reimport them. Companies that respect the made-in-France label end-to-end would be compensated.

To create jobs, Le Pen wants to make the “reconquest” of French markets a priority.

She said: “No country has ever succeeded in building its industry without protecting it.”

Le Pen, who is currently jockeying for the top spot in polls with independent centrist Emmanuel Macron, also wants to pull France out of the European Union and the euro currency.

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