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Emmanuel Macron has launched an appeal for political rivals to rally behind his centrist platform and fight what he described as the “extremist fever” gripping France at both ends of the political spectrum.
The French president on Wednesday took aim at the far-left France Insoumise as well as the far-right Rassemblement National party that won last week’s EU election, prompting him to dissolve the parliament and call a snap poll — a decision that has shocked politicians and markets.
“It’s simple — today we have unnatural alliances on both extremes that agree on nothing and are not capable of applying a political programme,” Macron told a news conference in Paris. “We are not perfect, we didn’t do everything well but we’ve had results and we’ve protected the country.”
“Since Sunday night the masks are falling,” Macron said, hitting out at a call from conservative leader Eric Ciotti on Tuesday to join forces with Marine Le Pen’s RN. On the left, parties have also forged an initial alliance to run a single list of candidates for the two-round parliamentary ballots on June 30 and July 7.
Macron dismissed as absurd reports he could eventually resign before his term is up in 2027: “I believe in the strength of our institutions.”
He outlined some of his priorities in an appeal to voters, including doing more to help household budgets, and offered to build “a new project” with politicians and people “who do not recognise themselves in the extremist fever.”
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