French far-right leader Le Pen plans to nationalise motorways if elected president

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen said on Wednesday she would nationalise French motorways and privatise public television and radio channels if she wins the 2022 presidential election.

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen said on Wednesday she would nationalise French motorways and privatise public television and radio channels if she wins the 2022 presidential election. Le Pen, who lost to Emmanuel Macron in the 2017 election, is gearing up for her third presidential bid next spring.

She told French daily Le Figaro that these two proposals were aimed at protecting the purchasing power of the French. Nationalising French highways, which are currently operated by French groups Eiffage and Vinci, would cut toll-road tariffs by 10-15% and bring an extra 1.5 billion euros to state coffers, Le Pen said.

Meanwhile, privatising public television and radio channels would save French households 2.8 billion euros in the levy they pay to help fund public broadcasting, she added.