French far-right leader Eric Zemmour says Boris Johnson is his role model

Presidential hopeful says UK prime minister is leader he has most in common with

French far-right commentator Eric Zemmour, at the attends rally in Villepinte near Paris (REUTERS)

French far-right presidential hopeful Eric Zemmour has nominated Boris Johnson as the world leader he feels he has the most in common with.

Mr Zemmour said he was "without doubt" closest to the UK prime minister "culturally, intellectually".

Like Mr Johnson Mr Zemmour is a former journalist who has ridden a tidal wave of populist support – emerging as a challenger to Emmanuel Macron in this year's election.

France will go to the polls in April to elect its next president, with centrist Mr Macron facing three challengers from the far-right to right wing of French politics.

Mr Zemmour was asked during an interview with broadcaster France Inter whether he felt other politicians like Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, Italy's Matteo Salvini or Donald Trump were potential models for him.

He replied: “You have not mentioned Boris Johnson and I am astonished because he is without doubt the leader I feel I am closest to, culturally, intellectually", adding: "He’s obviously a European like me but English."

In November the far-right candidate expressed similar sentiments, stating that he and Mr Johnson “do have a lot in common"

Boris Johnson was cited by the far-right leader (PA)

He said he proposed to implement the Tory leader's electoral strategy, which he described as "an alliance of the working class and that part of the patriotic bourgeoisie who wish to restore French sovereignty and defend an identity tragically under threat".

Mr Zemmour has run on an unabashedly populist and nationalist programme, pledging “zero immigration” and claiming politics is now a clash of civilisations between "Islam and the Christian world in Europe”.

His approach has challenged Marine Le Pen, heir to the long-running French far-right's crown – and also taken support from right-wing party The Republicans.

In January he was found guilty of hate speech and fined €10,000 (£8,350) by a Paris court over a TV appearance in September 2020 where he described unaccompanied migrant children as "thieves", "rapists" and "murderers".

The latest survey by pollster Ifop suggests Mr Zemmour, Ms Le Pen and Les Républicains candidate, Valérie Pécresse have relatively similar levels of support.

France's two-round electoral system means whoever comes top out of the three – even by a whisker – will face Mr Macron in a final run-off. Voters go to the ballot box in April.

Before Britain left the EU the UK’s Conservative party sat in a right-wing group in the European Parliament with a number of far-right and populist right-wing parties.