While the far-right National Rally (RN) party came out on top on Sunday, June 30, in the first round of the legislative elections, the other French parties positioned themselves for the second round. While the left, which came second nationally, announced that its third-placed candidates would withdraw in the event of a three-way race, the Macronist camp hesitated to call for a blockade against the far-right. The right of the LR called for a fight against the left.
- The parties of the New Popular Front clearly call for a barrier against the RN
Speaking shortly after the announcement of official resultsthe leader of France Insoumise (LFI) Jean-Luc Mélenchon announced that his party “ will withdraw ” his candidacies in the constituencies where he came in third place and where the National Rally (RN) is in the lead ahead of the second round of the legislative elections.
“ In accordance with our principles and our constant positions in all previous elections, nowhere will we allow the RN to win, and this is why, in the event that it came first, while we were only in third position, we would withdraw our candidacy. », declared the Insoumis leader. “ We will withdraw our application, under any circumstances, anywhere and in any case. Our instructions are simple, direct and clear. Not one vote, not one more seat for the RN », insisted Jean-Luc Mélenchon, repeating the formula several times.
The first secretary of the Socialist Party Olivier Faure also called for ” to block » against the National Rally, « this party whose matrix is a racist, xenophobic, anti-Semitic matrix “, he announced on TF1″ ” The danger of the extreme right should mobilize us all », insisted Olivier Faure, having himself been re-elected in Seine-et-Marne.
Tonight’s results are historic. For the first time since the Second World War, the far right could govern the country.
The position of the @Socialist Party is very clear: we must block the RN in the second round. pic.twitter.com/Bg14a6safS
— Olivier Faure (@faureolivier) June 30, 2024
” I am counting on the Macronists, on Gabriel Attal, on the President of the Republic to ensure that we get out of this story the right way “, added François Ruffin, in difficulty in the Somme.
Raphaël Glucksmann, head of the list of the PS-Place publique coalition in the European elections, calls for people to vote “ for all candidates who will face the RN “. “ By electing a candidate opposed to the RN, we remove an RN deputy “, he said on BFMTV. He calls “ all the candidates who came in third position behind the National Rally » in the triangular ones at « withdraw » to block it.
The head of Ecologists Marine Tondelier, for her part, called for “ construction of a new republican front » in the second round of the legislative elections, directly challenging Emmanuel Macron’s camp. “ It would be incomprehensible if some people continued not to differentiate between the left and the extreme right. “, she declared, calling on the “ centrist politicians ” At ” withdrawal if you are third in the triangulars, and if you are not qualified in the second round, call to vote for a candidate who defends republican values “.
- The Macronist camp will withdraw in the event of a triangular for “ prevent the National Rally from having an absolute majority »
As soon as the results were communicated at 8 p.m., President Emmanuel Macron called for a “ large gathering » in the second round of the legislative elections against the National Rally, and welcomed a “ desire to clarify the political situation ” expressed in the first round. ” Faced with the National Rally, the time has come for a large, clearly Democratic and Republican gathering for the second round “, said the President of the Republic in a written statement.
For Gabriel Attal, “ not a single vote should go to the National Rally » and to his “ disastrous project » in the second round of the legislative elections on Sunday July 7, launched the outgoing French Prime Minister, at the end of the first round of these historic elections which gave the far-right party well in the lead.
” Our goal is clear : prevent the National Rally (far right) to have an absolute majority in the second round “, declared Gabriel Attal, who called for “ withdrawal “candidates of the presidential majority,” whose retention in third position would have led to the election of a National Rally MP over another candidate who, like us, defends the values of the Republic “, this in order to prevent the RN from having an absolute majority in the National Assembly.
Gabriel Attal spoke about the withdrawal of Ensemble candidates in “ more than sixty » constituencies and warning against the « disastrous project » of the RN.
“ In other constituencies, particularly those where our candidates came in third place, we will withdraw in favour of candidates who are able to beat the National Rally and with whom we share the essential: the values of the Republic. », announced the Ensemble presidential list in an official press release. “ For us, the objective is clear: to make as many candidates as possible win “Together for the Republic”, to form a powerful republican movement, and therefore prevent the RN from being able to govern the country, including through republican withdrawals. »
- For Édouard Philippe, ” no voice » should not « focus on the candidates of the National Rally, nor on those of France Insoumise »
On the side of Horizons, an allied party of the presidential camp, Édouard Philippe was significantly more firm, estimating Sunday evening from Le Havre that “ no voice » should not « to support the candidates of the National Rally, nor those of France Insoumise “. “ I would propose to the ‘Horizons’ candidates who came third to withdraw in favor of candidates from parties with whom we share the same democratic and republican demands. », declared the former Prime Minister, therefore excluding LFI.
- The historic leadership of the Republicans (LR) does not give voting instructions
On the traditional right, the Republicans (LR), who obtained nearly 10% of the votes in the first round, according to initial estimates, affirmed on Sunday that ” macronism is dead ” and called to vote for their candidates qualified for the second round, refusing to give voting instructions in other cases. ” Where we are not present in the second round, considering that voters are free to choose, we do not give national instructions and let the French people express themselves in conscience. “, indicated the management of LR in a press release.
- LR party president Éric Ciotti calls for an alliance with the RN to block the left-wing coalition
At odds with the rest of the leaders of his party, the president of the Republicans (LR) And RN ally Eric Ciotti called on voters and Republican candidates to ally with the party of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella to block the left-wing coalition. “ France and our democracy could be in danger if the far left were to monopolize power in an unnatural alliance “, did he declare.
“ Republicans must participate in the victory of the entire right », added Éric Ciotti, whose approach to rapprochement with the RN was disavowed by all the tenors of his training.
Éric Zemmour, leader of the far-right Reconquest! party, asked his voters to “ vote for right-wing candidates next Sunday “, and launched: ” Against Jean-Luc Mélenchon, no abstentions. » He did not specify whether any Reconquest! were qualified for the second round.