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Marine Le Pen's use of Fillon phrases was tribute, not plagiarism, says aide Marine Le Pen accused of plagiarising François Fillon in May Day speech
(about 3 hours later)
Aides of the French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen have brushed off criticism of her use of phrases from a speech by her conservative rival François Fillon in her May Day address to supporters. The far-right French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen has been accused of plagiarism after a speech to her supporters used phrases lifted from her conservative rival François Fillon.
Florian Philippot, the deputy leader of Le Pen’s Front National party, said the party “completely owned up” to the fact that the speech resembled one made by Fillon a month ago. The similarities were mocked by her opponents on social media on Monday night. The original speech, delivered by Fillon shortly before he was knocked out in the first round of the contest, was on the subject of France’s role in Europe and the world. Le Pen’s, made at a Front National May Day rally, was on France’s roots in western Europe.
Philippot told Radio Classique that Le Pen’s speech was a “nod-and-a-wink” to Fillon’s earlier discourse in order to “launch a real debate” concerning French identity. The accusations came as supporters of her rival Emmanuel Macron warned that a high abstention rate could hurt his chances of victory in the second round vote on Sunday.
French media highlighted the similarities between Le Pen’s speech at her rally north of Paris on 1 May and one by Fillon given on 15 April, before he was knocked out of the presidential contest. Florian Philippot, the deputy leader of Le Pen’s party, said it “completely owned up” to the fact that the speech resembled one made by Fillon on 15 April. He told Radio Classique that Le Pen’s speech it was a “nod-and-a-wink” to Fillon’s earlier discourse in order to “launch a real debate” concerning French identity.
Le Pen – who faces the centrist frontrunner Emmanuel Macron in a final runoff on 7 May – spoke of France’s long and proud history and the country’s roots in western Europe. The similarities between the two speeches were mocked by Le Pen’s opponents on social media and French newspapers highlighted the borrowed passages.
Le Pen mentioned France’s “three maritime borders” with the English Channel, North Sea and the Atlantic. That same phrase was also used by Fillon.Le Pen mentioned France’s “three maritime borders” with the English Channel, North Sea and the Atlantic. That same phrase was also used by Fillon.
Le Pen described France’s borders and ties with “Italy, our sister” – again a phrase used in Fillon’s April speech.Le Pen described France’s borders and ties with “Italy, our sister” – again a phrase used in Fillon’s April speech.
She also used a quote from the early 20th-century French prime minister Georges Clemenceau: “Once a soldier of God, and now a soldier of Liberty, France will always be the soldier of the ideal.”She also used a quote from the early 20th-century French prime minister Georges Clemenceau: “Once a soldier of God, and now a soldier of Liberty, France will always be the soldier of the ideal.”
That Clemenceau quotation was used, word-for-word, by Fillon at his April rally. That Clemenceau quotation was used, word-for-word, by Fillon.
Le Pen’s campaign manager, David Rachline, played down plagiarism accusations, painting her speech as a form of tribute to Fillon. The references were “appreciated, including by all of Fillon’s supporters,” Rachline told France 2 television.Le Pen’s campaign manager, David Rachline, played down plagiarism accusations, painting her speech as a form of tribute to Fillon. The references were “appreciated, including by all of Fillon’s supporters,” Rachline told France 2 television.
Opinion polls predict that Macron will beat Le Pen on 7 May, with Macron forecast to win about 60% of the votes. Just days ahead of Sunday’s run-off, Macron remains the frontrunner in the race with polls predicting a 19-point lead, putting the 39-year-old on track to become France’s youngest president.
But amid concerns in his camp that a high abstention rate could help Le Pen’s chances, company bosses, celebrities and scientific researchers called in newspaper editorials for people to vote for Macron, who styles himself as “neither of the left nor the right”.
Macron’s economic liberalism worries many voters on the left. While they will not back Le Pen, many say they will stay at home rather than vote for him.
Opinion polls say abstention could be as high as 30%, higher than in recent presidential elections, as the “Neither-nor” camp gains strength.
Cedric Villani, a high-profile mathematician and commentator wrote in Libération that abstaining “is the equivalent of giving half of one’s vote to Marine Le Pen in the most important election that France has had for several decades”.
Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a veteran rebel of French politics, called on supporters of hard-left firebrand Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who scored 19.6 percent in the first round, to put aside their “hate” of Macron.
“Think rationally and vote for Emmanuel Macron and defend democracy and freedom,” the former ecologist Euro MP told Europe 1 radio.
Le Pen and Macron will face off Wednesday in a what promises to be a fiery TV debate when the far-right candidate is likely to sharpen her attacks on a candidate she says embodies “the world of finance, of arrogance, of money as king”.