Le Pen’s top aide quits with warning of ‘slide towards old demons’

MARINE LE PEN’S top aide and architect of her far-right Front National’s “detoxification” drive has stepped down in what he called a “terrifying” victory for hardliners.

Florian Philippot, one of Ms Le Pen’s closest allies, left the party a day after she stripped him of his role as FN chief strategist while allowing him to remain vice-president.

“They told me that I was vice-president of nothing,” Mr Philippot, 35, told France 2. “I’m not into being ridiculed. I have no taste for doing nothing, so of course I am leaving the Front National.”

Since its disappointing performance in both the May presidential and June parliamentary elections, Mr Philippot said the FN was showing signs of taking “an absolutely terrifying backward slide” towards its “old demons”.

The FN has tried to shed its historic image as racist and anti-semitic. Ms Le Pen said that while she “regretted” his decision, she criticised Mr Philippot for his “strategy of victimisation” and described his claims the party was returning to its extremist roots as “an outrage”. Cracks appeared after Ms Le Pen’s crushing defeat to Emmanuel Macron in the presidential run-off. Shortly afterwards, Mr Philippot launched his own movement – The Patriots – which he described as a think tank, but critics suggested turned him into a potential rival.

♦ Left-wing extremists have claimed responsibility for an arson attack on a police station in France apparently timed to coincide with street protests against Mr Macron’s labour law reforms today. Around 50 vehicles were destroyed in the fire at a gendarmerie car park in Grenoble, eastern France. A police officer was admitted to hospital after inhaling smoke.