The response was not long in coming. Marine Le Pen judged that the remarks made earlier this Sunday by Elisabeth Borne on the RN were "infamous and unworthy". "They are not acceptable to the first opposition party, its 88 deputies, its thousands of elected representatives and the millions of French people it represents!" she reacted on Twitter.
Elisabeth Borne's remarks about the National Rally are infamous and unworthy. They are not acceptable to the leading opposition party, its 88 deputies, its thousands of elected representatives and the millions of French people it represents! https://t.co/4BT8WoM01S
— Marine Le Pen (@MLP_officiel) May 28, 2023
In an interview with Radio J, the prime minister criticized the far-right party, calling it "Petain's heir". "I think you shouldn't trivialize your ideas, your ideas are always the same (...). I think that a change of name does not change the ideas, the roots," she said, criticizing the fact that the daughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen had never denounced "what may have been the historical positions of her party".
Before Marine Le Pen, her loyal lieutenant Jordan Bardella had also reacted. "By making such serious, lying and insulting remarks, Elisabeth Borne insults the first opposition party and smears the millions of French people who vote for the RN," Marine Le Pen's lieutenant said on Twitter.