Keir Starmer’s fears of the far right rising in Europe have been confirmed as France’s National Rally has just won 33 percent of the popular vote in this weekend’s first round of a snap two-round general election.
The Labour leader, who previously stated that he wanted “to see progressive parties succeed in Europe” and that he was “concerned where I see right or very right-wing politics taking hold”, is facing a General Election himself this week.
If he is elected, Starmer might have to manage relations with the French far-right party of Marine Le Pen.
However, last week, Starmer also told reporters that he would “obviously work with whoever is in power in France or any other country.”
“But yes, I do think that all progressives should work across Europe and beyond Europe because I believe that the only response to some of the increasing challenges we see across Europe is a progressive response to that,” he added.
“I do think with our border security command, which will be cross-border – linking not just prosecutors and police, but obviously security and intelligence agencies – that is a game changer in what we can do”, Starmer also told the i last week.
He continued: “I’ve long argued we should have a better security pact with the EU on this issue. That would give us something really valuable that we don’t have now, which is that on joint operations the UK could lead. Now that is something that we lost.”
Fury has erupted among some French politicians in the wake of Macron’s gamble to call a snap election.
Christopher Weissberg, who represents French nationals living in North America in the outgoing parliament, called the French President’s decision a “mistake” to the BBC yesterday as the results poured in.
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