PARIS (AP) — Anti-racism groups will join French unions and a brand new left-wing coalition on Saturday in protests in Paris and across France against the rising nationalist far right, as frenzied campaigns are underway ahead of snap parliamentary elections.
In Paris, those fearing the election will produce France’s first far-right government since World War II will gather at Place de la Republique before marching through eastern Paris.
Crowds have gathered daily since Marine Le Pen’s anti-immigration National Rally made historic gains in Sunday’s European Parliament elections, crushing President Emmanuel Macron’s pro-business moderates and pushing him to dissolve the National Assembly .
New elections for the lower house were held in two rounds, on June 30 and July 7. Macron will remain president until 2027 and is responsible for foreign policy and defense, but his presidency would be weakened if the National Rally wins and takes power. government and domestic policy.
“We need a democratic and social revival – otherwise the far right will take power,” French unions said in a statement on Friday. “Our Republic and our democracy are in danger.”
They noted that far-right leaders in Europe and around the world have passed laws that harm women, the LGBTQ+ community and people of color.
To prevent the National Rally party from winning the upcoming elections, left-wing parties finally agreed on Friday to put aside differences over the wars in Gaza and Ukraine and form a coalition. They urged French citizens to defeat the far right.
French opinion polls suggest that the National Rally – whose founder has been repeatedly convicted of racism and anti-Semitism – is expected to lead the first round of parliamentary elections. The party came out on top in the European elections, winning more than 30% of the votes cast in France, almost twice as many votes as Macron’s Renaissance party.
Macron has three years left in his term and he would retain control over foreign affairs and defense regardless of the outcome of France’s parliamentary elections.
But his presidency would be weakened if the National Rally wins, which could put 28-year-old party leader Jordan Bardella on track to become the next prime minister, with authority over domestic and economic affairs.
