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| Marine Le Pen aide Florian Philippot to quit France's Front National | Marine Le Pen aide Florian Philippot to quit France's Front National |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| One of Marine Le Pen’s key aides has said he is leaving the Front National, raising the prospect of a split in the anti-immigration and Eurosceptic party’s ranks. | One of Marine Le Pen’s key aides has said he is leaving the Front National, raising the prospect of a split in the anti-immigration and Eurosceptic party’s ranks. |
| Florian Philippot, a vice-president of the FN, used an early morning appearance on French television to announce a departure that had looked increasingly likely amid rising tensions with the party’s leader, Le Pen. | Florian Philippot, a vice-president of the FN, used an early morning appearance on French television to announce a departure that had looked increasingly likely amid rising tensions with the party’s leader, Le Pen. |
| Philippot, who had earlier had his responsibilities for strategy and communications removed by Le Pen, told France 2 television he did not like being sidelined. “I’m not into being ridiculed. Yes, of course I am quitting the National Front,” he said. | Philippot, who had earlier had his responsibilities for strategy and communications removed by Le Pen, told France 2 television he did not like being sidelined. “I’m not into being ridiculed. Yes, of course I am quitting the National Front,” he said. |
| Philippot is seen as the champion of the FN’s opposition to the euro and pledge to leave the currency, one of the policies believed to have badly damaged Le Pen in the presidential election in May, in which she was beaten by Emmanuel Macron. | Philippot is seen as the champion of the FN’s opposition to the euro and pledge to leave the currency, one of the policies believed to have badly damaged Le Pen in the presidential election in May, in which she was beaten by Emmanuel Macron. |
| The party, which came third in the parliamentary election in June, is to hold a congress in early 2018, where internal conflicts are likely to come to a head. | The party, which came third in the parliamentary election in June, is to hold a congress in early 2018, where internal conflicts are likely to come to a head. |
| Le Pen said on Thursday the party would rebuild and said she would continue to campaign against the EU. | |
| “National sovereignty is a mainstay of our struggle,” she said. “We will continue to fight the European Union with all our soul because it is an instrument for the elimination and impoverishment of our people.” |