France began a period of intense election campaigning on Monday, initiated by President Emmanuel Macron to combat the far right. Star footballer Kylian Mbappe cautioned that the nation was at a crucial juncture in history.
Candidates had until Sunday to register for the 577 seats in the National Assembly, with official campaigning starting at midnight on June 30 for the first round on July 7. Macron’s centrist alliance, which called for the snap elections early due to a far-right victory in EU elections, is trailing and unlikely to win a majority.
Despite confusion over Macron’s decision to call the election, which could potentially result in the far-right National Rally leading the government, prominent figures like Marie-Caroline Le Pen, the sister of Marine Le Pen, have entered the race.
– ‘Young and inexperienced’ –
Representing France in the Euro 2024 tournament, Mbappe voiced opposition to extreme and divisive ideologies, urging young people to vote at a crucial moment for the country. He defended teammate Marcus Thuram’s call to fight against the far-right winning the elections.
The dissolution of parliament by Macron after the far-right’s EU victory has reshaped French politics, leading to new left-wing alliances and controversies within the Republican party over election pacts with the National Rally.
Former president Nicolas Sarkozy expressed doubts about the leadership abilities of National Rally candidate Jordan Bardella, questioning if someone so young and inexperienced could lead France.
– ‘Surprise not enough’ –
Macron is set to return to the domestic campaign after international engagements, with high stakes for his presidency. Former Socialist prime minister Lionel Jospin warned of the dangers Macron faces in allowing the far-right to gain power in France.
Jospin criticized Macron for rushing the campaign and accused him of arrogance, stating that being surprised is not sufficient to control the outcome.
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