GABRIEL ATTAL WARNED THAT THE ELECTION OF SEVERAL FAR-RIGHT FRENCH MEPS WOULD BE ‘TANTAMOUNT TO FRANCE LEAVING EUROPE’ DO YOU RECEIVE THE CONNEXION'S FREE WEEKDAY NEWSLETTER? Sign up

here French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has warned people in France to “not be like the British who cried over Brexit”, 10 days before the European elections. The PM said that the elections

should not be seen as a “referendum for or against the government”, speaking in an interview with RTL, as a long list of MEPs from the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party are on the

voting sheet. Mr Attal denounced the party, formerly led by Marine Le Pen and now headed up by Jordan Bardella, and dismissed its claims that Emmanuel Macron has “a hidden agenda”. He also

those who claim that this election is a national issue are playing into the hands of the extremists,” he added. “The question being asked on June 9 is whether France will be the country that

sends the largest number of far-right MEPs to the European Parliament”. He said that if this were to happen, European institutions could “come to a standstill”, with “very dangerous

consequences”, he said. “Europe is mortal,” he warned. Read more: ‘Brexit: no-one else dares speak of leaving’: President Macron Mr Attal said he believed that leaving the EU would

“considerably weaken the country in many respects” and said that France would “not be stronger if we turn on ourselves”. “We won't be stronger if we're more alone,” he said. “But

I'm convinced that the French understand that.” Mr Attal has said that MEPs have a crucial job in defending France’s interests in the important EU arena, including pushing for more

investment to keep up with competition from the US and China, a more effective immigration plan, and better policies for women and young people.  The PM said that the MEP for the President

Macron's Renaissance party, pro-European Valérie Hayer, would focus on all of these topics and defend French interests.