Summary of the day
France was in campaign mode ahead of the second round of a snap legislative election on Sunday.
The issue of three-way races dominated conversations during the day, as many politicians continued to call for a republican front to defeat the far right.
Some candidates debated whether – and who – should withdraw from individual races.
Eligible candidates had until 6pm local time to decide whether they will run in the second round.
Le Monde estimated that 218 candidates – including 130 from the left and 82 from the Macron camp – withdrew from races by the deadline.
This left an estimated 91 three-way races and 2 four-way races on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, the far right National Rally’s Marine Le Pen said the party would only go into government if it can act, but also said that if it is a bit short, it would try to make up the majority with extra MPs, for example from the right.
Olivier Faure, first secretary of the Socialist party, said that next Sunday will be a decisive day for French democracy.
The Paris mayor, Anne Hidalgo, sought to reassure visitors that the festive mood at the Olympics will not be dampened by Le Pen’s electoral successes.
218 candidates withdraw by deadline
We are now past the 6pm deadline to register for the second round.
As of 5:50 p.m., Le Monde counted 218 withdrawals.
These included 130 from the left and 82 from the Macron camp and the centre.
Olivier Faure, first secretary of the Socialist party, has said that next Sunday will be a decisive day for France.
Addressing citizens who did not vote for the left in the first round but have other views he respects, Faure said he knows it’s difficult but that in the past when the essential was in question, France chose the republic.
Dimanche prochain sera un jour décisif pour notre démocratie. Le 7 juillet, tous les démocrates doivent se retrouver pour préserver l’esprit des Lumières, de la Révolution française et de la République. Et ouvrir un espoir, celui du #NFP.
— Olivier Faure (@faureolivier) July 2, 2024
Mon appel pour le second tour ✊ pic.twitter.com/3layw3EKSD
Le Monde has counted 218 withdrawals, including 130 from the left and 82 from Macron’s camp.
Updated
Valérie Hayer, president of Renew Europe and a Macron ally, has praised a number of politicians for withdrawing their candidacies ahead of the second round of elections on Sunday.
Je salue les décisions de @SLefoulon, @vsaulnier53200 et @Boisseau53G. En Mayenne, comme ailleurs, le front républicain doit opérer pour faire barrage à l'extrême droite et à son projet mortifère.
— Valérie Hayer (@ValerieHayer) July 2, 2024
Par delà les sensibilités et divergences politiques, la priorité est de protéger…
With the 6pm deadline looming this evening, more candidates are announcing their withdrawal from three-way races.
J’ai eu l’espoir jusqu’à maintenant que le candidat arrivé en seconde position m’appelle.
— Patricia Miralles (@MIRALLESMP) July 2, 2024
Qui a pu avoir un instant le doute que nous n’étions pas républicains ?
Pour nos militants, nos électeurs et la France, avec @ph_sorez nous retirons notre candidature.
Updated
At least 200 candidates withdraw from races ahead of France's second round election
At least 200 candidates have stood down ahead of Sunday’s runoff election, according to the latest AFP tally.
Of those who have decided to quit, more than 110 are members of the left-wing New Popular Front and more than 70 come from Macron’s camp.
Updated
Ahead of Tuesday’s 6pm (1600 GMT) deadline for registration for the second round of voting in the parliamentary elections, more than 160 candidates have already dropped out in three-way battles to prevent the far-right National Rally winning, according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) tally.
The majority of those to have dropped out are from the left-wing coalition, although pro- Emmanuel Macron candidates are also giving way to help left-wing rivals, including three junior ministers.
Historically when confronted with the far-right close to power, the traditional right and leftwing parties have agreed to stand down certain candidates from the runoffs to avoid splitting the vote. But, as my colleagues Angelique Chrisafis and Sam Jones explain in this story, the tactical voting strategy known as the “republican front” is less certain than ever.
Updated
The far-right National Rally’s (NR) Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella want an absolute majority of 289 seats in the 577-seat national assembly, but seat projections indicate they may fall short.
We reported earlier that Le Pen said if the NR is a bit short, it will try to make up that majority with extra MPs, for example from the right (see post at 08.05).
According to Agence France-Presse (AFP), she has said her party would seek to form a government from a minimum of “for example, 270 deputies” and then find support from 19 more MPs.
Updated
According to an early count by Le Monde, 128 left wing candidates have withdrawn from second-round races, while 76 of Macron’s allies also stepped back.
Updated
The National Rally’s Jordan Bardella is debating on social media with France’s economy minister, Bruno Le Maire, about the far right’s plan to scrap nationality rights for children born and raised in France by foreign parents.
Selon Bruno Le Maire, nous serions un danger pour la République car nous souhaitons supprimer le droit du sol.
— Jordan Bardella (@J_Bardella) July 2, 2024
Pour rappel, la droite l’a fait en 1993 avec Pasqua, et son propre gouvernement a suspendu le droit du sol à Mayotte.
Savent-ils encore où ils habitent politiquement ? https://t.co/3qt4MboB1p
Gabriel Attal, the prime minister and a Macron ally, said that “from the first round, we made the choice in more than sixty constituencies not to present a candidate.”
Gabriel Attal: "Dès le premier tour, nous avons fait le choix dans plus d'une soixantaine de circonscriptions, de ne pas présenter de candidat" pic.twitter.com/sVPmpZHtug
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) July 2, 2024
The Representative Council of French Jewish Institutions (Crif) issued a call today for a republican front to battle the National Rally without compromising with the hard left France Unbowed (LFI).
Faithful to its historic commitments, the Crif calls on the French to mobilise to prevent the National Rally from coming to power by voting massively for candidates from democratic and republican parties, and to categorically refuse any compromise with France Unbowed.
"Ni RN ni LFI": le front républicain doit battre le RN sans compromission avec LFI
— CRIF (@Le_CRIF) July 2, 2024
Fidèle à ses engagements historiques, le Crif appelle les Français à se mobiliser pour empêcher l'arrivée au pouvoir du Rassemblement National en votant massivement pour les candidats de partis…
Anne Hidalgo, the socialist mayor of Paris, has called for blocking the far right, warning of a “disaster” if the National Rally is not stopped.
🔴🗣 Anne Hidalgo sort du silence et appelle à faire barrage au RN : "Si nous ne le faisons pas, ce n'est pas une gueule de bois que nous aurons le 8 juillet, c'est un désastre pour le pays". #Les4V #legislatives2024 pic.twitter.com/2bqeHIJxWQ
— Telematin (@telematin) July 2, 2024
Here’s an image from the campaign trail today.
The far right National Rally has decided to withdraw candidate Ludivine Daoudi after a photo emerged of her wearing a Nazi hat, France Bleu Normandie reported.
Updated
François Bayrou, a heavyweight former minister who heads a party allied to Macron, has said republicans and democrats must face their responsibilities.
“Do I wish for us to come together among republicans to block the RN? Yes,” he said.
🗣️ Je me suis battu toute ma vie pour que tous les courants de la démocratie puissent s’exprimer. Pour autant, je n’exonère pas ces formations politiques de leurs responsabilités. Est ce que je souhaite qu'on se réunisse entre républicains pour faire barrage au RN? Oui. pic.twitter.com/xLG9EnBDtm
— François Bayrou (@bayrou) July 2, 2024
Updated
Clément Beaune, a Macron ally, said there’s a need for systematic withdrawals from three-way races.
"Il faut qu'on se désiste systématiquement": la position de Clément Beaune lors des triangulaires face au RN pic.twitter.com/QItrTXWFrO
— BFMTV (@BFMTV) July 2, 2024
'We wish to govern', Marine Le Pen says ahead of second round of French election
Speaking on France Inter this morning, the far-right National Rally’s Marine Le Pen said she would be respectful of Jordan Bardella’s role if he becomes prime minister and that she wouldn’t want to be part of the government herself.
Asked if the National Rally would attempt to form a government if it doesn’t get a majority in the national assembly, Le Pen argued a majority would be needed.
“It is evident that we cannot accept to go to government if we cannot act,” she said.
“We wish to govern,” she stressed.
But she also said that if the National Rally is a bit short, it will try to make up that majority with extra MPs, for example from the right.
Le Pen also said she would not sit in the government and that she won’t be president of the national assembly.
“I will be at the head of the group of deputies,” Le Pen said.
Asked whether she would join a new European political group formed by Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, she did not give a concrete answer, instead saying the party will look at what’s on the table after the French election.
“We are concentrated on an election that is fundamental for the future of the country,” she said.
"Nous souhaitons gouverner, que les choses soient extrêmement claires", affirme Marine Le Pen.
— France Inter (@franceinter) July 2, 2024
Mais "il est évident", dit-elle, "que nous ne pouvons pas accepter d'aller au gouvernement si nous ne pouvons pas agir". #le710inter pic.twitter.com/ESqy0BYejv
Updated
Good morning and welcome back to the Europe blog.
Today we will be focusing on the latest in France, as the country prepares for the second round of a closely-watched legislative election this weekend.
We’ll also be keeping an eye on how the European far right is reacting to political shifts in France, and how far right parties are reshuffling their own alliances for the incoming European parliament.
Updated
