French President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday he would not resign regardless of the outcome of snap general elections announced for June 30, after the far-right won the European Parliament election.
It coincides with a call by Eric Ciotti, head of the right-wing Republican Party, to establish an unprecedented “coalition” with the far-right, which could trigger a new earthquake in France after the shock dissolution of parliament. Call for early assembly elections.
Macron – during an interview with Le Figaro newspaper – said he would not accept the resignation if the far-right National Rally party wins the election.
He added, “The National Rally Party did not write the constitution. Whatever the outcome, the institutions are clear and the position of the President is clear.”
A political movement
Macron stressed that “politics is dynamic”, pointing out that there is no trust in opinion polls and that “the results of each electoral district should not be seen in the light of the results of the European Parliament elections”.
Regarding the decision to dissolve parliament, he said, “This decision is right for the good of the country… and it is a clear and strong signal. It is a sign of great confidence in the people of France.”
He also confirmed that he had taken the decision to hold early elections “to clarify the situation”, calling on the French people “not to be afraid and go to the polls”.
Right wing coalition
On the other hand, the leader of the right-wing Republican Party, Eric Ciotti, called for the establishment of a “coalition” with the far-right, a significant development on the French political scene, especially after the distant victory. Right-wing nationalists rally in European elections, and left-wing opposition parties are weeks away from snap elections in light of the split.
Cioti said – in an interview with the French channel TF1 – “while protecting our identity, we need an alliance with the National Rally party and its candidates.”
Ciotti’s call was criticized by members of his party who called his proposal a “personal choice” and asked him to step down.
French Interior Minister Gérald Dormanin, a former member of the Republican Party who joined Emmanuel Macron’s camp in 2017, accused him of “signing the Munich Agreement” from 1938, and specifically France and Nazi Germany at that time. He is seriously “tarnishing the honor of the Gaullist family.”
New success
On the other hand, the National Rally, buoyed by its success in the European elections and seen as the most likely candidate in the upcoming parliamentary vote, welcomed what it described as a “new victory” and praised the “courageous choice”. Ciotti sees this as reflecting a “sense of responsibility”.
Commenting on the move, Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally parliamentary group, said: “Forty years of false exclusions are disappearing after losing us so many elections.”
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on Sunday evening that he would dissolve parliament and go to early elections after the far-right National Rally won a landslide victory in the European Parliament elections with 31.37% of the vote.
Macron’s Ennahda party won 14.6% of the vote. The election will be held in two phases on June 30 and July 7.
