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French candidates bow out in bid to block far-right
https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/french-candidates-bow-out-concerted-bid-block-far-right-2024-07-02/French candidates bow out in bid to block far-right
By Sudip Kar-Gupta and Dominique Vidalon
July 2, 2024 6:51 AM EDT Updated 18 min ago
PARIS, July 2 (Reuters) - Opponents of France's National Rally (RN) stepped up their bid to block the far-right party from power on Tuesday as more candidates said they would bow out of this weekend's run-off election to avoid splitting the anti-RN vote.
Some 180-plus candidates have confirmed they will not stand in Sunday's second-round for France's 577-seat national parliament, according to local media estimates. Others have until 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) to make their choice.
Marine Le Pen's RN came out well ahead in Sunday's first-round vote after President Emmanuel Macron's gamble on a snap election backfired, leaving his centrist camp in a lowly third place behind a hastily formed left-wing alliance.
But even before the manoeuvring of the last 24 hours to create a "republican front" to block the anti-immigrant, eurosceptic party, it was far from clear the RN could win the 289 seats needed for a majority.
[...]
By Sudip Kar-Gupta and Dominique Vidalon
July 2, 2024 6:51 AM EDT Updated 18 min ago
PARIS, July 2 (Reuters) - Opponents of France's National Rally (RN) stepped up their bid to block the far-right party from power on Tuesday as more candidates said they would bow out of this weekend's run-off election to avoid splitting the anti-RN vote.
Some 180-plus candidates have confirmed they will not stand in Sunday's second-round for France's 577-seat national parliament, according to local media estimates. Others have until 6 p.m. (1600 GMT) to make their choice.
Marine Le Pen's RN came out well ahead in Sunday's first-round vote after President Emmanuel Macron's gamble on a snap election backfired, leaving his centrist camp in a lowly third place behind a hastily formed left-wing alliance.
But even before the manoeuvring of the last 24 hours to create a "republican front" to block the anti-immigrant, eurosceptic party, it was far from clear the RN could win the 289 seats needed for a majority.
[...]