Marine Le Pen has urged the French government to withhold payments to the EU to tackle the country’s “toxic” debt—a move that could provoke a major row with Brussels. Public spending in France has ballooned in recent years, leaving the country’s finances in a perilous state.
Recent data from the country’s statistics agency, Insee, showed France had accumulated an additional €40.5 billion of debt during the first three months of this year. This means that France’s total debt now stands at a whopping €3.3 trillion – a new record.
The French far-right leader launched a withering attack on Emmanuel Macron’s Government, saying the time had come for drastic action.
She told the RTL channel: “We don’t expect the government to declare a blank year to make savings.
“We expect it to undertake a massive reduction in the state’s toxic spending.
“Why not declare a blank year on our contribution to the European Union, which is set to increase by seven billion next year?”
France is one of the biggest contributors to the EU budget, according to data from the European Commission.
In 2023, figures show that France paid in €25.8 billion, with only Germany supplying more cash (€33.8bn) to the EU coffers.
However, France also received €16.5 billion in funding from Brussels in the same year, making its total contribution €9.3 billion.
Most of the EU funding goes towards economic and social development and includes investments in a competitive, green and digital sector.
Money from Brussels is also used to increase access to the labor market and provide education and training.
Le Pen has been barred from standing in the next Presidential elections in France – scheduled for 2027 – following a criminal conviction.
Earlier this year, a court found her guilty of embezzling European Parliament funds on a vast scale.
The French politician has vowed to appeal the court’s decision, which also handed her a four-year prison sentence, two suspended and two to be served outside jail with an electronic bracelet. She was also ordered to pay a €100,000 (£84,000) fine.