The ex-French presidential candidate praised Lega Nord leader Matteo Salvini for putting "the fight against the European Union" at the centre of his political platform, predicting his victory could shatter the bloc’s federalist ambitions.

Expressing her support for Mr Salvini, the defeated French presidential candidate said: "My ally in the European Parliament, Matteo Salvini, is working to build an enlarged coalition, which makes me very happy. 

“It is aimed at all those who put the fight against the European Union at the heart of their project."

Ms Le Pen told Italian newspaper Corriere della Sella: "The vote in Italy could represent the beginning of a new Europe, certainly.

"An additional demonstration that people oppose the European Union for the way it works today. A proof that people want to rediscover freedom, sovereignty, in short, have their own space again. 

"This European Union cannot continue. Its decisions are almost systematically bad for security and prosperity, and moreover they are applied by blackmail or threats."

Ms Le Pen, the leader of the right-wing populist Front National, earned 34 percent of the vote in the second round of the French presidential election in 2017, losing out to Emmanuel Macron.

She previously advocated pulling France out of the European Union in a "Frexit", claiming the bloc did not represent her country’s interests.

However, she has backtracked on pledges to hold an in-out EU referendum, as the plans were not popular in France.

Ms Le Pen now hopes to work with political leaders such as Mr Salvini to create a "Union of European Nations”, a looser arrangement that would do more to preserve national sovereignty.

Yesterday she questioned why her native France had been brought together with countries like Denmark and Sweden under the EU banner, when their political projects are vastly different.

She also branded her party the only real opposition to Emmanuel Macron’s government, given the collapse of the left in France, and internal divisions within the main right-wing party, Les Républicains.

Ms Le Pen, leader of the Front National since 2011, will run to retain leadership of her party in 2018. She told the paper: "I'm not scared at all, I've already experienced many and I'm still here.”

Italy’s elections are scheduled for March 20, and are likely to see the current prime minister Paolo Gentiloni voted out of office after his centre-left party left voters disillusioned.

A conservative bloc led by Silvio Berlusconi, which includes Mr Salvini's Lega Nord, leads opinion surveys, but may not win a majority.

Additional reporting by Maria Ortega.