German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has expressed concern about the strong performance of France’s right-wing nationalist party Rassemblement National (RN) in the first round of that country’s elections.
“No one can be left unconcerned if (…) in our closest partner and best friend, a party that sees Europe as the problem and not as the solution is far ahead,” Baerbock said on Monday, referring to the party’s strong performance of Marine Le Pen in Sunday’s French snap elections.
She said that Germany and France – the two largest countries in the European Union – share a special responsibility for Europe.
“In a democracy, elections are of course in the hands of the voters,” Baerbock said, adding that as Germany’s foreign minister, she has a special responsibility not to interfere in the domestic politics of another country.
The RN and its allies took the lead in the first round of the snap parliamentary elections, collecting 33% of the vote. The left-wing alliance New Popular Front is at almost 28%, while the centrist camp of President Emmanuel Macron is at just over 20%.
The second elections will take place next Sunday, which will decide most of the seats in the French National Assembly.
