Le Pen says France "least racist" country, floats expelling migrants

November 8, 2026 / 7:00 PM EST / CBS News Add CBS News on Google A stagnating economy has fueled protests across France in recent weeks — and is driving support for extremist politicians. One person who may benefit from the strife in the streets: Marine Le Pen, the longtime face of far-right populism in Europe. Despite three failed attempts at the French presidency – and a conviction for embezzlement, which she has appealed — she's now leading the polls in France's presidential race that will happen in the spring.Since the protests began, polls show that Le Pen's popularity has ticked up.In an interview with 60 Minutes, Le Pen blamed economic difficulties and rioters from "the extreme left" for protests that have left 2,500 businesses damaged and 1,500 police injured.On the larger problems facing France, Le Pen, as she has for many years, pointed to immigration, arguing for expelling immigrants who don't assimilate while insisting that France is "the least racist" country in the world."When you take in too many immigrants, you create the conditions for destabilizing your society," Le Pen said in an interview. She said immigrants are more likely to be unemployed than French citizens, and as a result, "we can no longer import unemployed people."60 Minutes contributor Trevor Phillips told Le Pen that people in immigrant communities would argue the high immigrant unemployment rate is because of discrimination in France. "No, that doesn't exist," she said. "You're not going to import those ideas here."Le Pen repeatedly asserted "there's no discrimination in France" and called it "the least racist" country in the world. She said the French see things differently than Americans: "We believe someone who comes to immigrate to our country must blend into the national community. You have something more like a layered cake: each community can live alongside the others while keeping its own customs. That is not how we see things."When asked whether she would argue for the remigration of immigrants who "aren't adopting the French way," Le Pen said: "If someone comes and says, 'I hate you, I despise your culture, I don't want to respect your laws,' well, we say to him, 'Listen, sir, the door is wide open.' And we might even, for that matter, force you to leave."Phillips noted that 20 years ago, the French would refer to Le Pen's political party as extremist. He asked: Have the French people changed, or has she? "I will not allow people to say that France has become extremist," she said. "Over time, French people have got to know me. Has France changed? I think it's the end of a chapter. It's the end of a world, a world built on unrestrained globalization." In: Marine Le Pen France French protests could benefit far-right political leader Marine Le Pen 13:22 French protests could benefit far-right political leader Marine Le Pen (13:22)