Poutine, Orban, Salvini… The sulphurous friendships of Marine Le Pen

Vladimir Putin: the mentor

Despite the atrocities of which the Russian president is guilty in Ukraine, Marine Le Pen has never called into question his project of “alliance” with Russia, starting from the principle that “European security cannot exist without it”. In 2011, this uninhibited Russophile even admitted a “form of admiration” for the head of the Kremlin. How can we imagine that the far-right candidate, if elected, keeps her distance from her mentor, even though her party has borrowed money from a Russian bank?

Viktor Orban: the inspiration

With his fourth victory in a row in the general elections on 3rd April the Hungarian Prime Minister confirmed his status as the leader of European populism. Close to Moscow, he opposes the embargo on Russian hydrocarbons, just like Marine Le Pen. Staging, as soon as she can, her closeness to the Hungarian leader, the RN candidate draws a lot of inspiration from the cantor of “illiberalism”, whether in her project to reform the right of asylum or to increased recourse to the referendum.

Matteo Salvini: the faithful friend

In 2014, Marine Le Pen had invited the senator and leader of the League to the congress of the National Front, in Lyon. Since then, the two political leaders have devoted an unwavering friendship. Allies in the European group “Identity and Democracy”, the far-right candidate and her “Italian cousin” have both managed to “de-demonize” their party. For Salvini, a victory for Marine Le Pen would be precious. It would give it a strong impetus, while legislative elections are to be held next year in Italy.

Geert Wilders: the Batavian alter ego

“Fantastic! Congratulations Marine for this magnificent result!” Tweeted the Dutch leader of the Freedom Party on the evening of the first round, adding a heart emoticon. Their common points: the rejection of Maastricht and Schengen. On the other hand, Wilders has been multiplying for years excesses with regard to Islam, of which Marine Le Pen is careful. Thus, he did not hesitate to present the Koran as a “Mein Kampf Islamic”.

Mateusz Morawiecki: the Polish ally

The first European leader to appear with Marine Le Pen in the fall, the head of the Polish government has seen him since, and for good reason: the far-right candidate supports him in his showdown with Brussels on his disputed justice reforms. Will the Russian acquaintances of the Frenchwoman slow down their rapprochement? Morawiecki refrained from mentioning them, attacking on the contrary Emmanuel Macron, a few days before the first round, for his regular exchanges with Putin: “Nobody negotiated with Hitler.”

Santiago Abascal: the Spanish cousin

Leader of the far-right Spanish party Vox since 2013, Santiago Abascal, 46, received Marine Le Pen in Madrid on January 29, during a high mass of the European far right. If he came to power, this nostalgic of the Franco dictatorship would expel all illegal immigrants and also reshape the Constitution as he pleases. Objective: to remove the organization of the country into autonomous regions (and to prohibit Basque and Catalan separatism). Regularly, this populist leader castigates defenders of women’s rights and the environment, considering that global warming is “a scam”.