In the first round of the French snap elections called by President Emmanuel Macron last month, the far right came in first, scaring lespantalons off of everyone in Europe. Not since the Vichy government during German occupation had France been led by the authoritarian far right. But it looked very possible it soon would be, especially considering the right-wing surge in the European Union elections which precipitated Macron's call for elections in the first place. As recently as three days ago, polls showed that the second round would likely lead to such an outcome.
But a funny thing happened on the way to that run-off. The parties of the left formed a National Popular Front party and joined with the center to block the right. Many of the candidates in each district had to make the hard choice to leave the race so that the stronger member of the opposition could defeat the right.
One incumbent had to take that gut check and she dropped out saying, "defeats happen, but you can never recover from dishonor."
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