BRUSSELS (Sputnik) — Philippot founded Les Patriotes (Patriots) association within the FN shortly after the French presidential election, advocating a skeptical stance on the European Union and the eurozone. Le Pen lost to pro-European Emmanuel Macron in the second round of the election, with some party members appearing to link the defeat to the party's hardline position on the euro and bloc membership.
Previously, Philippot was a member of the Europe of Nations and Freedom faction, which used to be co-chaired by FN leader Marine Le Pen when she was in the European Parliament. Philippot, a proponent of a more radical position on euro, left the FN in September. Le Pen said, following his exit, that her party remained committed to its core principles, one of them being monetary sovereignty. However, she added that the FN had heard the voice of those voters concerned with negative consequences of withdrawal from the eurozone.
