Marion Maréchal-Le Pen addressed the American Conservative Union’s CPAC conference Thursday afternoon, and discussed the place of France in Europe and the world and the rise of Islam in her home nation.

Making her first political speech since bowing out of French domestic politics in 2017, Le Pen — who was France’s youngest modern-era parliamentarians after she was elected as a candidate of the populist Front National aged just 22-years-old — stressed the importance of the Franco-American friendship, slammed the European Union as a force destroying the identities and freedoms of European nations, and discussed the rise of Islam in Europe.

Speaking of how attacks on French culture by the European Union had left the nation weak and unable to resist Islamisation, Marion said: “I refuse the standardised world of the EU… all I want is the survival of my nation… this young French generation are not encouraged to connect with and love their heritage, they are brainwashed with guilt and shame of their country.

“The result is the development of Islamic society in France.

“After 40 years of mass migration, Islamic lobbies and political correctness, France is in the process of passing from the eldest daughter of the Catholic Church, to becoming the little niece of Islam. Terrorism is only the tip of the iceberg — this is not the France that our grandparents fought for.”

The French political icon moved on from her pessimistic assessment of the advancement of Islamic parallel societies in France, however, and looked to the future she said conservatives were working for. She said:

“I came here to tell you there is a youth ready for this fight in Europe today. A youth, that believes in hard work, who believe a flag means something, who want to defend individual freedom and private property, a conservative youth who want to protect their children from eugenics, and from the propaganda of terrorism, a youth who want to protect their parents… and protect humanity from transhumanism.”

Marechal-Le Pen had opened her speech by joking about the reaction to her surprise visit in the American mainstream media. She remarked: “I hope you find me less terrifying than the American media finds me.

“Its crazy, yesterday I was a fascist, today I am a socialist… but whatever the media says, it is my honour to add my French voice to this [meeting of] patriotic Americans.”

Establishment Right-Wingers Have Meltdown over Marion Le Pen Invite to CPAC https://t.co/HAqUSIydOx — Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) February 20, 2018

Noting the long alliance between France and the United States, including through the Revolutionary War and the Great War in Europe, Marion said: “We are once again standing side by side in another battle for freedom.

“Freedom is a gift, freedom of speech, freedom of conscience… but now France must fight for its independence, France is no longer free. The French are not free to choose their policies, on economic, immigration, and even diplomacy.”

Praising President Trump’s attitude of America First, Marion said she agreed that the people of all nations shouldn’t be ashamed to want to look out for their own interests, remarking: “I am not offended when I hear President Donald Trump say ‘America First’. I want America First for the American people, I want Britain First for the British people, and I want France First for the French people.”

Marion had quickly risen to prominence in France as a leading figure among young conservatives and promises to continue being an important voice in coming years, as she launches her new political leadership school in France. Her conservative social beliefs, including of the primacy and importance of the family has seen her connect with France’s millions of conservative Catholics, an uncommon achievement in a nation which places great emphasis on the separation of church and state.