France's Marine Le Pen says not concerned by loss of immunity

Record ID: 348018

  • Title: France's Marine Le Pen says not concerned by loss of immunity
  • Date: 2nd March 2017
  • Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MARCH 2, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** CONVOY CARRYING FRENCH FAR-RIGHT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, MARINE LE PEN, ARRIVING LE PEN STEPPING OUT OF CAR SURROUNDED BY JOURNALISTS / JOURNALIST ASKING (French): "Marine Le Pen your immunity was lifted, are you worried?" (SOUNDBITE) (French) FRENCH FAR-RIGHT PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, MARINE LE
  • Embargoed: 16th March 2017 19:36
  • Keywords: Marine Le Pen National Front European Union immunity France Paris presidential election Islamic State Daesh Twitter
  • Location: PARIS, FRANCE
  • City: PARIS, FRANCE
  • Country: France
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA001669QUYV
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said on Thursday (March 2) that she wasn't concerned about a decision by EU lawmakers to lift her EU parliamentary immunity for tweeting pictures of Islamic State violence.
    Le Pen is under investigation in France for posting three graphic images of Islamic State executions on Twitter in December 2015, including the beheading of American journalist James Foley.
    Le Pen's immunity shielded her from prosecution. By lifting it, after a request from the French judiciary, the parliament is allowing any eventual legal action against her.
    "It's unbelievable. Are we meant to hide them? The French government is really trying to protect Daesh," she said, using an Arabic acronym for Islamic State.
    Le Pen made the comments as she arrived to give a speech about the role of the state in the economy, dedicated to "economic patriotism".
    "Everywhere, from Donald Trump's America to Narendra Modi's India, from Xi Jinping's China to Theresa May's United Kingdom economic patriotism is winning. Look at the tens of millions of jobs brought back to the United States, companies that are relocalising, factories that are re-opening their doors. The illusions of naive globalisation and the neglect caused by free trade are over. No country has ever managed to build up its industry without protecting it," she said.
    She spoke about measures including a desire to give benefits to companies which produce and invest in France.
    "France prefers businesses that prefer France, and it'll make them know," she said.
    Polls show Le Pen topping the first round in presidential elections in April, but losing to either of the two candidates likely to face her in the run off in May.
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