Emmanuel Macron, an independent centrist, was among many presidential candidates criticising Ms Le Pen’s comments on Monday.
Macron is a front-runner – along with Le Pen – in the two-round presidential election that will be held on April 23 and May 7.
Since its establishment by Jean-Marie Le Pen, Marine Le Pen’s father and the owner of multiple convictions for Holocaust denial and incitement to hatred against Jews, National Front has been accused of espousing anti-Semitism, hatred of Muslims and other forms of xenophobia.
Le Pen said Sunday on RTL radio, “I don’t think France is responsible for the Vel d’Hiv”- a reference to the Paris stadium where thousands of Jews were rounded up before being sent to Nazi death camps.
Le Pen clarified her remarks later today when she declared that “I consider that France and the Republic were based in London during the (Nazi) occupation…” “I think in a general way, more generally actually, those responsible were those in power then, this is not France”.
The Vel’ d’Hiv Roundup was a Nazi directed raid and mass arrest of Jews in Paris by the French police on 16 and 17 July 1942. Skirmishes broke out yesterday ahead of a campaign rally by French far-right leader Marine Le Pen, prompting the removal of more than a dozen protesters and the evacuation of the hall in Ajaccio, Corsica.
He said: “I want to eradicate the terrorist threat at its source”.
Le Pen and centrist Emmanuel Macron are still seen making it to the May 7 run-off, with Macron winning.
Two new polls published this weekend confirmed shifting momentum seen earlier this week following a second and final televised debate between the 11 candidates vying to be France’s next leader.
“We condemn the declarations by Marine Le Pen stating that France is not responsible for the deportation of Jews from its territory during the Holocaust”, the statement reads.
Exactly a fortnight before voting in the first round of France’s presidential election, the main candidates were all over the media or holding rallies – except one.
“Le Pen, who wants to curb immigration, ditch the euro, and hold a referendum on European Union membership, was buoyed by Trump’s victory and the British vote to leave the European Union previous year, hoping a similar groundswell against what she calls “unchecked globalization (and) destructive ultra-liberalism” would propel her to victory”, Reuters explained.
French voters go to the polls to elect a president on April 23.
Le Pen, 48, performed relatively poorly in the first debate, failing to score points against her rivals although she did not make any major slip-ups either. Socialist Party candidate Benoit Hamon was down 2 per cent to 9 per cent. Middle form left: Jean-Luc Melelchon, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, Nathalie Arthaud, Philippe Poutou.