Nikolas Sargeant
France's Rassemblement National (RN) has dramatically shifted its cryptocurrency position, with party leader Marine Le Pen now advocating for Bitcoin mining using surplus energy from the country's nuclear power plants. The far-right party, which previously called for banning cryptocurrencies entirely, is now promoting Bitcoin mining as a way to monetize idle nuclear capacity and generate "secure and extremely profitable" digital assets.
The initiative, spearheaded by RN lawmaker Aurélien Lopez-Liguori, involves drafting legislation to install mining infrastructure at facilities operated by state energy giant Électricité de France (EDF). Le Pen reportedly promoted this plan during a March visit to the Flamanville nuclear plant, framing the proposal as a means to eliminate energy waste while creating economic value from France's nuclear infrastructure.
This represents a complete reversal from RN's 2016 position, when Le Pen warned that digital currencies would cause citizens to "lose ownership" of their money and called for preventing crypto use in France. She previously argued that dematerialized money would alienate people to benefit the global banking system, describing currency as a national good that should remain under centralized control.
Despite internal party disagreements about embracing decentralized currencies, RN has emerged as France's most active political force in advancing cryptocurrency legislation. While left-leaning parties focus on mining's environmental impact and links to illicit finance, the right-wing party has attracted crypto entrepreneurs and lobbyists who view RN as business-friendly, positioning the party at the forefront of France's evolving digital asset policy landscape.
