After a triumph at the European elections, National Rally launched a campaign led by Jordan Bardella, according to AP News.
France’s opposition parties are now struggling to form alliances and nominate candidates in snap national elections. President Emmanuel Macron called the vote after a crushing defeat by national-oriented parties in Sunday’s European Parliament elections.
Despite sharp divisions between opposition parties, prominent figures calling for a united front in both camps appear reluctant to co-operate with Macron. Left-wing parties agreed late Monday night to form a new alliance that would include the Greens, Socialists, Communists, and the national-oriented France Unbowed of Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
However, the leaders have not agreed on who will chair the new coalition, nor on its programme. For now, the politicians plan to unite to prevent National Rally from winning. They have also vowed not to join forces with Macron.
In a joint statement, the alliance called on all left-wing forces, including powerful trade unions, to unite under a “new popular front,” to form an “alternative to Emmanuel Macron.” In his account on X, Mélenchon reposted a statement by the Deputy of the French National Assembly, Manuel Bompard.
We are showing our willingness to leave together to offer an alternative to Emmanuel Macron and fight the racist far right. We are going to work together around joint candidacies in the first round of the legislative elections that will defend a programme for a break with the past.
Meanwhile, National Rally leader Marine Le Pen is working to consolidate power among national-oriented movements ahead of the two-round elections scheduled for 30 June and 7 July. Le Pen’s niece, Marion Maréchal, reportedly won a seat in the European Parliament as a member of the competing Reconquer! party of Eric Zemmour. She visited the headquarters of National Rally on Monday to negotiate a national-oriented alliance for the upcoming elections.
Le Pen also met with members of the conservative Republicans party to discuss the creation of a united front.
We have a historic chance to allow the national camp to put France back on track.
