French leader Marine Le Pen, the frontrunner to govern
France, has proposed—with significant public support—reducing France's spending
on the European Union as part of her proposals to cut public spending.
In statements regarding possible cost-saving measures, Le
Pen stated:
"We have ideas for saving: we will stop sending 6
billion euros to the European Union."
The proposal is part of the critical stance that Le Pen, her
party, and millions of French people have maintained toward certain EU policies
and institutions, particularly on issues related to the EU budget, national
sovereignty, and the use of French public resources.
The statement reopens the debate between radical left-wing
politicians and the right-wingers, currently the favorites among French voters,
about how much the country contributes to the European budget, how much it
receives in return, and what room the French government would have to modify
its contributions.
Leftists argue that the figure of 6 billion euros and the
specific implications of the proposal should be compared with official budget
data before being presented as an effective saving.