Story highlights Le Pen also wants waiting period for foreigners to access benefits

Education minister describes Le Pen's words as 'ignorant'

Paris (CNN) France's far-right party leader, Marine Le Pen, said children of illegal immigrants should be refused a free education.

Le Pen, who ran for the presidency in 2012 on an anti-immigration platform and plans to run again next year, said the hardline move -- which flouts French law and the European Convention on Human Right s, would discourage immigration.

"I think free and compulsory schooling for the children of illegal parents encourages more immigration, which must be stopped," Le Pen told reporters on Thursday in Paris.

Le Pen said that if elected president, she would also consider implementing a waiting period for foreigners to access certain public services or social benefits.

"I think this is fair, as our social protection system and our public services are now overloaded, overwhelmed."

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