With 18 days to go until the new election, France's President Emmanuel Macron is launching his liberal party's campaign. This is happening with an appeal for support from "all those who can say no" to extremist movements.
It has been three days since Sunday's surprise announcement that President Macron is dissolving the National Assembly and calling a new election. This happened in the light of the far-right's successes in the European Championship and his own coalition's modest results. On Wednesday, he called a press conference where he urged people to "say no to the extremes".
The vote on Sunday was clear, says the President, referring to the European Championship where the far-right won almost 40 per cent of the votes.
This is politics we cannot ignore.
Outstretched Hand
The far-right party National Rally (RN) won a landslide victory in the European Championship and is expected to become the largest single party in the European Parliament with 30 seats. Macron's liberal coalition suffered a catastrophic defeat and got barely half as many seats as RN, according to preliminary figures.
RN's leader Jordan Bardella and party profile Marine Le Pen have extended a hand to the traditional right-wing party Republicans (LR), whose leader Éric Ciotti confirmed on Tuesday that he is ready to cooperate with the far-right ahead of the election. Ciotti's announcement has made many of his own see red. For example, Republicans' group leader Olivier Marleix is demanding Éric Ciotti's resignation.
The masks fell on Sunday, says Macron, referring to Ciotti's decision to make common cause with RN.
Staying Put
The fact that he chooses to meet the media in an event hall in Paris's first constituency, rather than in the Élysée Palace, is interpreted by French analysts as the President being in campaign mode.
Emmanuel Macron, however, intends to stay on as President. He is in his second and final term, which runs until 2027.
