France’s Macron urges alliance to prevent far-right from getting ‘keys to power’ in 2027 polls
- The French President called for backing from people ‘able to say no to extremes’ in snap elections he called after a European poll battering
French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday urged rival parties on both sides of the political centre to join him in forging a democratic alliance against Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) in coming snap legislative elections.
In what amounted to a campaign speech just days after his shock call for an election, Macron acknowledged making mistakes, saying the French had expressed their indignation but felt they were not being heard.
The election would provide clarity, Macron said.
Macron, who has three years left of his second presidential term, hopes voters will band together to contain the far-right in national elections in a way they didn’t in European ones.
He said that one reason he had called early legislative elections was to prevent the far-right winning the presidency in 2027 polls when he must stand down.
“I do not want to give the keys to power to the far-right in 2027,” he told reporters.