Emmanuel Macron, the president said that extreme parties might lead France into a civil war. In an interview on Monday evening, Macron warned against the far-right National Rally’s pledge to counter crime and insecurity arguing that it is a reference to a religion or originality of people, which creates division and may lead to conflict in the country.
He also stated that France Unbowed, part of a hastily cobbled alliance with other left-wing groups, is laying down ethno-political markers for similar sectarian strife.
Macron’s team has been increasingly strident as they try to catch up with the National Rally party and The New Popular Front on poll numbers ahead of the first round of voting next week. According to one pollster, the right-wing organization could even get an absolute majority in parliament; but that is hard to project given France’s two-round voting system.
For instance Le Maire has said that having Marine Le Pen’s National Rally govern would disrupt “civil peace” without giving any proofs. He has further alerted about how dangerous both extremes are for French economy.
Oppositions however accuse Macron and his allies of scaring away voters by using fear mongering tactics. For example, Jean-Luc Melenchon who leads La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) rejected President Macron’s description saying he tends to divide the French people into classes.
This was done against recent political tensions in New Caledonia when Mr Melenchon declared: “He’s always around when it comes to setting fires.”
The comments from Macron’s party have not stopped growing popularity of the National Rally and leftist bloc in opinion polls. In case of legislative elections 36% intend vote for le Pen Ifop-Fiducial poll for June First Round showed on Monday. Also, 29.5% would like alliance between left wing parties while his group gathers only 20,5%.
French investors sold off their national assets after Macron called for the election, worried that a new government would cause a further strain on France’s budget. In addition, last week the risk premium on French bonds compared to German ones soared to its highest level since 2012, although it narrowed slightly on Monday.
The far-right National Front in France still holds the lead in the first round voting set for June 30.
The European Parliament election saw his party voted out of existence which was why he subsequently asked for these elections. Meanwhile, during the broadcast itself it appeared that Mr Macron had come to terms with losing his group at the ballot box.
National Rally has made efforts to calm down voters and make them believe he can manage well country’s economy.
On Monday, he announced the party’s strategy to pay for a lower sales tax on energy and fuel which would cost €7 billion ($7.5 billion) per year by reducing France’s EU budgetary contributions, ending shipping firms’ fiscal advantages and raising taxes on energy companies’ profits.
“This is about France’s only immediate and reasonable effort towards fulfilling French people’s needs. In three words: we are prepared,” he claimed. “We want to reorient the country towards financial rationality.”
The above table shows that Le Pen’s Party will have more Members of Parliament than any other party.
According to most opinion polls, the National Rally will emerge as the largest parliamentary group but fall short of an outright majority of 289 seats. The party is projected by Odoxa in its latest poll to have between 250 and 300 MPs.
If this happens – National Rally being the largest group in parliament but not winning an absolute majority – it would put the legislature into a state of gridlock making it difficult to pass any ambitious legislation or implement reform agenda.
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Macron justified calling for a ballot stating that there was deep resentment within his own countrymen and that they too wanted “a voice.”
“It won’t be anyone’s fault on Sunday night; it will be down to the French” he said. “For me, it is not a wager; it is having trust” in citizens, he specified.
