Barnier warns against Frexit

MARINE LE PEN has not learnt the “lessons” of Brexit, Michel Barnier claimed as he urged Europeans not to make the same mistakes as the British.

The former Brexit negotiator issued the warning as the continent prepared for European Parliament elections in June that are expected to produce record results for anti-eu parties.

Ms Le Pen’s National Rally is tipped to win the majority of the seats being contested in Mr Barnier’s native France and Geert Wilders, who says he wants a “Nexit” referendum, is expected to repeat his success in the Netherlands’ November general election.

“They have not learnt the lessons of Brexit,” Mr Barnier said of Ms Le Pen and other eurosceptic leaders such as Georgia Meloni, Italy’s prime minister, and her coalition partner Matteo Salvini. Mr Barnier added that Brexit had made trade within Europe and growing Britain’s economy more difficult.

“The difficulties the UK is facing aren’t all Brexit-related, but Brexit has made them worse,” the former French presidential candidate said. Brexiteers accused the EU of wanting to make an example of Britain during the tough Brexit negotiations that lasted from 2017 until the end of 2020.

Ms Le Pen’s National Rally quietly shelved calls for a “Frexit” referendum as the UK endured talks Boris Johnson compared to “punishment beatings” but “she has not reneged on her views,” Mr Barnier said.

Mr Barnier, who has always denied wanting to punish Britain, said Rightwing politicians were plotting to quit the bloc. “I’d recommend not trusting them when they say they no longer want to leave the EU,” he told the Euractiv website.

Eurosceptic parties are expected to win in Italy, Hungary, Austria, Poland, Belgium, the Czech Republic and Slovakia in June and come second or third in a further nine countries.