French opposition parties on the left and right seek alliances ahead of snap elections

Linda, France — Empowered by a impressive win In the European elections, France’s far-right National Rally began its national campaign on Tuesday with its star leader, Jordan Bardellapromising his supporters “the largest possible majority” in the next parliamentary vote.

Opposition parties on the left and right have been struggling to form alliances and field candidates in the elections. early national elections called by President Emmanuel Macron after his party suffered a crushing defeat to the far right in the European Parliament vote on Sunday.

While stark differences remain between parties on both sides of the political spectrum, prominent figures calling for a united front on both sides appear to have one thing in common: they do not want to cooperate with Macron.

Despite their divisions, left-wing parties agreed Monday night to form a new alliance including the Greens, the Socialists, the Communists and Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s far-left France Insoumise. The leaders have not agreed on who will lead the new coalition or its program.

In light of European polls, left-wing politicians are focused on closing ranks to prevent a National Rally victory that could result in the French far-right leading a government for the first time since World War II. For now they have also promised not to join forces with Macron’s centrists.

In a joint statement, the alliance called on all left-wing forces, including influential unions, to unite behind a “new popular front” to form an “alternative to Emmanuel Macron and fight against the racist project of the far right.” “

The leader of the National Rally, Marine Le Pen, is working to consolidate power on the right ahead of the two-round elections that will take place on June 30 and July 7. Le Pen’s niece Marion Maréchal, who won a seat in the European Parliament on Sunday as a member of the rival Reconquer! Eric Zemmour matchHe visited the headquarters of the National Rally in Paris on Monday to negotiate a far-right alliance in the next elections.

Le Pen also met with members of the conservative Republicans party to discuss a united front. Some conservative lawmakers have supported some of Macron’s bills in the National Assembly since the president lost a majority in the lower house of the French parliament after the 2022 general elections.

“We have a historic opportunity to allow the national side to get France back on track,” Le Pen said in an interview with the French public broadcaster on Monday afternoon. He said the National Rally and the Conservatives could agree on several policy goals, including an economic recovery plan, increasing purchasing power and curbing immigration.

Republican President Éric Ciotti has said he wants a deal with Le Pen, prompting several prominent members of his party to call for his resignation. Ciotti insisted that conservatives need the alliance for their political survival.

“I want my in-laws to move in this direction,” he said Tuesday in an interview with the French public broadcaster. He criticized what he said was the Macron bloc within the conservative party, “which has brought the country to where it is today: with more violence, more insecurity.”

“A right-wing bloc, a national bloc… is what the vast majority of our voters want,” Ciotti said.

Bardella, Le Pen’s 28-year-old protégé and the face of the far-right’s European triumph, also urged French conservatives to ride the wave of popularity with the National Rally.

Bardella called on the conservatives to “stop being Emmanuel Macron’s political crutch” and “come to work alongside us.”