2 hours ago
By Paul Kirby, BBC News
Socialists, Ecologists, Communists, and France Unbowed have come together to form a left-wing alliance known as the “New Popular Front.” They aim to challenge the far right in upcoming parliamentary elections at the end of the month.
The decision to hold snap elections was made by President Emmanuel Macron after the National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, secured a significant victory in the recent European elections.
Current opinion polls suggest that in the first round of voting on June 30th, the National Rally is projected to receive 29.5% of the vote, closely followed by the left-wing alliance at 28.5%, with Macron’s Renew party in third place at 18%.
The heightened competition has led to claims from each party that they will form a “block” to prevent the others from gaining power in the National Assembly.
With just over two weeks left before the elections, uncertainty surrounding French politics is evident in the stock exchange and bond markets. The CAC40 index has seen a significant decline, and French government bonds’ interest rates have widened compared to German bonds.
Campaigning has been intense, with the main political groups launching direct attacks on their rivals. France’s political landscape encourages alliances, resulting in the Socialists joining forces with the Greens, Communists, and France Unbowed.
Despite internal challenges, the left-wing parties are determined to prevent the National Rally from coming to power. The head of the powerful CGT union announced plans for protests across France to build a movement against the far right.
In response, National Rally leader Jordan Bardella called for unity among patriotic forces to block the left from winning the election. Opinion polls suggest that the National Rally has a chance of success, with Bardella outlining plans for stricter immigration laws and energy cost reductions.
The upcoming elections are crucial, with projections indicating a close contest between the National Rally and the New Popular Front. Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire warned of potential financial crises if either extreme wins, emphasizing the importance of responsible governance.
The left’s agenda includes reversing pension reforms, lowering the retirement age, and increasing the minimum wage. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal criticized these plans, warning of tax hikes and economic instability.
As the political landscape continues to shift, alliances are forming and breaking, with parties like the Republicans facing internal turmoil over potential alliances with the National Rally. The upcoming parliamentary elections will determine the future direction of French politics.
El Sr. Attal dijo que los candidatos en Hauts-de-Seine habían acordado “bloquear los extremos de la derecha y la izquierda y crear un arco republicano”.