218 candidates give up the second round in an attempt to avoid the absolute majority of the far right

More than 200 candidates from various parties withdrew their participation in the second round of the French elections on Sunday to prevent the spread of votes and far-right National Group (RN) obtains an absolute majority.

The deadline for formalizing the candidacies expired on Tuesday and by the end of the deadline, 218 resignations had been registered, bringing to 91 the number of competitive elections with three candidates in the 502 constituencies to be decided on Sunday, as well as two others with four candidates.

The vast majority of layoffs came from candidates from Together for the Republic, the centre-right alliance of President Emmanuel Macron and the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP)to leave only one rival to the far-right candidate for the seat in each of these constituencies.

At least 130 resignations come from left-wing candidates, 82 from the Macronist camp, two from the traditional right and three from the RN (the latter in support of a better-placed similar candidate).

The aim of the resignation is to prevent the RN from obtaining an absolute majority (289 deputies) in the second round, after the far-right formation and its allies achieved a historic victory in the first round last Sunday with 33.15% of the votes. the votes.

The closing of the deadline for submitting candidacies came after two very intense days of talks, including recriminations, after several prominent figures from the most right-wing sector of Macronism (such as the former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe or the head of Economics, Bruno LeMaire) were reluctant to facilitate the victory of candidates The Insouciant France (LFI) by Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

The leader of the French far right, Marine Le Penon Tuesday accused his country’s President Emmanuel Macron of preparing “a kind of administrative coup” to prevent them from having a free hand if they come to power, based on “rumors” circulating about what he plans to do with dozens of last-minute appointments.

The parties from which the New Popular Front (NFP) Leftists in France have accused Macron’s party of engaging in contradictions that will ultimately benefit the far-right in the second round of parliamentary elections, after prominent candidates ignored official orders to withdraw in so-called “triangulations”.

In Iparralde, triangular in two of the three districts

In Iparralde, barring last-minute surprises, there will be three candidates in two constituencies (4th and 6th). Only in one district, the fifth, has the macronist Lasserre withdrawn.

Florence Lasserrecandidate for the Ensemble coalition, will not appear in the second round of the National Assembly elections, in the fifth constituency of the Pyrénées-Atlantiques. In the constituency of Baiona, only the two left-wing and far-right options will remain.

Lasserre, who received 26% of the votes in the first roundmet all the requirements to become second, behind Colette Capdevielleof the New Popular Front, with 32%, and Serge Rossoof the National Group (RN), with 27%. However, to prevent a victory for the far right, he decided to withdraw; in any case without giving any voting order.

In the other two constituencies of Iparralde, a triangular constituency was reached for the second round. In the sixth constituency, which is on the coast of Lapurdi, the left-wing party won Peio Dufau (29%), while Christian Devezeof the Ensemble coalition, came second (26%). Dufau warned that if Macron’s coalition candidacy is maintained, there is a “risk” that the far right will gain the upper hand Victor Lastecouereswhich took third place in the first round with 25% of the votes.

In the fourth district, which is inland, the situation is different. There too, the candidate from the left (Iñaki Etxaniz38%), while the second most voted was Sylviane Lopez (25%), from RN. The right Jean Lasallefrom the right, came third with 18%.