Far-right French politician Éric Zemmour has announced his candidacy for next year’s presidential election, pledging tough measures on immigration and the deportation of unemployed foreigners, even if they are living in the country legally. Zemmour, leader of the Reconquête party, said in a televised interview on Thursday evening: “I will be a candidate in the presidential election.”
Zemmour sets out proposals to deport foreigners
He came a distant fourth in the 2022 election. Zemmour calls for a halt to immigration and the return of foreigners to their countries of origin. He said: “All foreigners who break the law must be deported, even those who are not in prison.” He added: “We must also, of course, deport irregular migrants.”
“The long-term unemployed must also be deported, as must all those who live solely on social benefits.” Zemmour’s announcement comes as Marine Le Pen, the candidate of the far-right, anti-immigration National Rally, seeks to win the presidency when Emmanuel Macron’s term ends. Le Pen came second to Macron in two previous presidential run-offs.
If Attal remains in the race, the poll predicted that radical-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon would face Le Pen in the second round.
