Macron 'USING Brexit' to warn French population over possible 'dire' EU referendum

EMMANUEL Macron is "using" Brexit as an example to dissuade French people from asking for a referendum on EU membership, claimed President of MCBG consulting Philippe Moreau-Chevrolet.

Mr Moreau-Chevrolet told France24 he believed Brexit was a "very convenient" example of a referendum "gone bad" in favour of Emmanuel Macron's domestic policies. The MCBG Consulting President claimed the French leader is "using" the British political deadlock as an example of what could happen if he responded to demands for a Frexit referendum in his country.

Mr Moreau-Chevrolet argued the Brexit deadlock works as a "warning" to the French population not to pursue nationalist agendas against his project to unite the European Union further.

He said: “We see it in France, Brexit is maybe a good thing for all domestic policies.

“Because Macron can use this example as a warning to the French population in saying that if you want to leave the European Union here is what could happen.

“It would be a dire situation and no one would win at the end and people would lie to you to get your vote.

“And he’s using it to actually undermine the need for a referendum in France.

“And he’s using Brexit as an example of a referendum done badly, turned against the population.

“So it’s very convenient for France’s domestic policies that the example of Brexit exists.

“The French population doesn’t get at all what’s happening obviously, even the British don’t at this time.”

The French President said the 2016 EU referendum campaign had been “manipulated” by “fake news” and claimed voters were tricked into opting for Brexit after Theresa May’s deal was overwhelmingly rejected by Parliament this week.

Mr Macron said: “This is a referendum that was manipulated, manipulated from the outside by what we now refer to as ‘fake news’. “People said everything and anything before turning around and saying: ‘Deal with it’. The people were lied to. What they voted for isn’t possible.

“The pressure is on Britain.”

The French President made the comments during a meeting with mayors in Grand Bourgtheroulde, a small town in Normandy.

British MPs voted 432-202 against Mrs May’s deal, the worst defeat in modern British history.