The National Rally presidential candidate then held a one-hour roundtable at a nearby hostel.

There, she spoke at length with a dozen nurses, nursing assistants and suspended staff for lack of health pass.

"Mulhouse suffers from the same problems as hospitals throughout France. The hospital situation today is a real heartbreak for the French that we are," she said, believing that the hospital was "the first medical desert in France".

Ms. Le Pen pointed out in particular "the over-bureaucracy in the hospital with ten administrative levels", the frauds with "billions of euros which are distracted from its functioning", and the working conditions of caregivers which are deteriorating. "at high speed", with in particular more aggressions.

"The hospital is also suffering the weight of immigration which is uncontrolled. When 400,000 people enter French territory, the number of beds must be increased: this is not the case and, even worse, they are destroyed in proportions very important, including in the middle of the pandemic, "she stressed.

"To this we add 15,000 nursing staff who were suspended because they were not vaccinated, which is to say that the announcements of the Health Segur concerning the 15,000 announced hires appear derisory."

The candidate of the National Assembly for the presidential election, Marine Le Pen, during a meeting with caregivers, November 4, 2021 in Mulhouse SEBASTIEN BOZON AFP

The Minister Delegate for Autonomy, Brigitte Bourguignon, however, clarified on October 20 to the National Assembly that on that date, 7,930 caregivers were suspended in France.

The Minister of Health, Olivier Véran, had told him on October 26 that "two-thirds of suspended caregivers returned to work once vaccinated".

"Elected president, I will rebuild the public hospital," promised the far-right candidate, claiming to receive "an impressive number of emails" from nursing staff.

Marine Le Pen wants to impose a rule: "No more than 25% of jobs in the administration. The rest of the caregivers must take care of. And there must be a moratorium on the closure of beds as quickly as possible".

She insisted on the urgency to act because according to her "the health of our compatriots is clearly endangered by the government by leaving the hospital in this situation".

"We will present a plan called + Aime la santé + in the next three weeks, a thematic variation of + Aime la France +", she continued, even if the costing of the measures she recommends is not yet finalized.

© 2021 AFP