"National Rally's Marine Le Pen honoured the struggle of Christians persecuted in Nigeria, Syria and other parts of the world in her Christmas address to the nation on Thursday. "[Thoughts] go to the people dear to our hearts who will not or no longer be with us. And they go particularly this year to the persecuted Christians in the world for their faith, in the East, in Africa. I naturally think of Syria, after 14 years of war that forced 80 per cent of the faithful to flee, but also to Nigeria, where attacks against Christian communities and often churches are recurrent. We think of them, we will support them unwaveringly," she stated. On Christmas Eve, Le Pen urged her fellow citizens to also adhere to the holiday's "message of peace and love, of hope and life." "Christmas comes with joy to remind us of a simple truth, a truth that is useful to repeat in these days of division and war, in these days of doubt and often solitude," she said. "Nothing should matter more to us than the harmony of men and peace among peoples."  More than 7,000 Christians in Nigeria were killed in the first half of 2025, according to the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law and other international watchdogs. The majority of attacks happened in the 'Middle belt' of the northern regions of the country. According to an 'Aid to the Church in Need' (ACN) report, over 413 million Christians live in countries where religious freedom is not upheld, and 280 million are directly exposed to persecution. In October, the current US administration redesignated Nigeria as a 'Country of Particular Concern,' which allows the government to impose potential sanctions. Le Pen openly supported the move, saying that EU leaders should follow the example. In November, US President Donald Trump threatened to completely withdraw US aid and to directly intervene in the alleged 'mass slaughter' and persecution of the Christian population in Nigeria, which Abuja has denied."