Photo: Louise Delmotte Associated Press People gather at Place de la République in Paris to protest the far-right National Rally party, which came out on top in the first round of legislative elections on Sunday, June 30.
Agence France-Presse in Paris
Posted at 12:13 p.m.
- Europe
A hundred candidates from the left or from the presidential camp qualified for the second round of the legislative elections in France have already withdrawn on Monday, in order to counter the far right, according to a provisional count from AFP.
These candidates are involved in triangular elections (three qualified candidates), and came in third position in constituencies where the far-right National Rally (RN) party could be able to win on Sunday.
In total, 311 constituencies out of 577 are in a triangular (306) or potential quadrangular (5) situation, including 161 where the RN and its allies came first.
Among the candidates who have announced that they are withdrawing include at this stage a majority of representatives of the left-wing alliance New Popular Front (NFP).
For example in Normandy (west), an NFP candidate withdraws in favor of former Macronist Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.
The left has also partially put aside its internal dissensions for the occasion, with withdrawals in some constituencies where two candidates were running (NFP and dissident left), such as in the south of the Paris region or in Marseille (south).
On the side from the camp of President Emmanuel Macron, three minister-candidates have decided to withdraw (Sabrina Agresti-Roubache, Marie Guévenoux, Fadila Khattabi).
During a meeting with members of his government at midday on Monday, Mr. Macron did not give them clear instructions to withdraw, according to several ministerial sources.
But, according to one participant, he told them that “not a single vote” should “go to the extreme right”, recalling that the left had mobilized against the RN in 2017 and in 2022, which allowed him to be elected president both times.
“You must make no mistake. It is the extreme right that is on the verge of accessing the highest offices, no one else,” the head of state also declared.