French Presidential Candidate Le Pen Warns EU Must ‘Change or Die’

French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen cautioned Brussels on Thursday it must ease the grip on member states or collapse, in an interview with the British broadcaster BBC.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — Speaking with the BBC for the documentary "After Brexit: the Battle for Europe," she praised the UK decision to quit. She described it as a choice for state border control, "economic patriotism" and "intelligent protectionism."

"I think the European Union must fundamentally change or it will die," the leader of the far-right National Front (FN) party said.

Le Pen is expected to make it into the final round of this year’s presidential election where she is likely to compete against Francois Fillon of the center-right party The Republicans. She has been advocating an EU exit and return to the national currency.