Our turn for a referendum, says French far right FN

[PARIS] France's far right National Front party called for a referendum on European Union membership in France on Friday as Britain voted to leave the bloc.

Branding the European Union increasingly "anti-democratic and brutal", the party said that Britain would "live well" after its divorce from the European bloc in a message published on its official Twitter handle.

"Victory for freedom!" FN chief Marine Le Pen said.

"We now need to hold the same referendum in France and in (other) EU countries."

Her deputy Florian Philippot also cheered the outcome of the British referendum.

"The liberty of peoples always wins in the end! Bravo to the United Kingdom," he wrote.

"Our turn now #Brexit #Frexit."

Ms Le Pen had said last month that if she won next year's French presidential election she would immediately start negotiations with Brussels on a series of sovereignty issues including the single currency. If those failed, she would ask voters to back leaving the EU in a referendum, she said.

Ms Le Pen is the front-runner among likely candidates ahead of the 2017 presidential vote. However polls see her losing the run-off.

REUTERS