Marine Le Pen, a candidate in France's upcoming presidential election, stated in an interview with 60 Minutes that she supports the expulsion of immigrants who do not assimilate into French culture. Le Pen, who the report states is currently leading polls for the spring presidential election, also asserted that France is "the least racist" country in the world and denied the existence of discrimination.
The interview occurred amid a period of economic stagnation and protests in France. According to the report, recent unrest has resulted in damage to 2,500 businesses and injuries to 1,500 police officers. Le Pen attributed the violence to "the extreme left" and suggested that the country's economic difficulties are linked to current immigration levels.
Le Pen argued that high immigration rates destabilize society and stated that because immigrants are more likely to be unemployed than French citizens, the country "can no longer import unemployed people." When questioned about whether high unemployment in immigrant communities results from discrimination, Le Pen replied, "No, that doesn't exist." She contrasted the French model of cultural blending with what she described as a "layered cake" model in other countries where communities maintain separate customs.
Le Pen stated that individuals who "despise" French culture or refuse to respect its laws could be forced to leave. The scale of the impact mentioned in the report includes 2,500 businesses facing damage and 1,500 police officers injured. Le Pen characterized the current political climate as the end of a world built on "unrestrained globalization."
Le Pen is currently appealing a conviction for embezzlement. The presidential election is scheduled for this coming spring.