Le Pen's election would be a 'disaster': French envoy to US

Washington: The election of far-right leader Marine Le Pen as president would be "total disaster," France's ambassador to Washington said here, joining his colleague in Japan in opposing their country's potential new leader.

The outspoken anti-immigration nationalist is hoping to emulate Donald Trump's surprise November victory in France's two-stage presidential election on April 23 and May 7.

"In diplomatic terms, I would say it will be a total disaster," Araud told The Washington Post in an interview published Thursday, he said of a potential victory by Le Pen, who has vowed to try to withdraw France from the EU if elected.

"It means the collapse of the EU (European Union), because the EU without France doesn't make any sense," he said.

"And it means the collapse of the euro and a financial crisis, which will have consequences throughout the world."

The Post described the 64 year-old Araud as a "highly regarded" ambassador who has served in various posts in the United States for the past decade.

Araud on Wednesday praised the "excellent" column published in the daily Le Monde that was written by France's ambassador in Tokyo Thierry Dana, who said he would refuse to serve if Le Pen becomes president.

"If the French tragedy comes to pass and leads to her election, I would withdraw from all my diplomatic functions," Dana wrote.

Foreign Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault, meanwhile, has sent a reminder to all diplomats about the need for "prudence and the principle of neutrality."

"Against the backdrop of rising populism, we need to keep cool heads, or else risk encouraging the rise of demagoguery directed against public servants," he wrote in a memo, a copy of which was seen by AFP.