The leaders of the three major French parties have reacted to the initial projections of the first round of the legislative elections, which gave 34% to Marine Le Pen’s National Union, 28.1% to the New Popular Front and 20.30% to Renascença, Emanuelle Macron’s party. While on the far right “democracy has spoken”, on the left the New Popular Front will withdraw its candidacies when it comes third, in order to concentrate votes against the UN. Macron also joined this call, calling for a “democratic and republican” rally against Le Pen’s party.

Marine Le Pen was the first to react to Sunday night’s screenings, beginning by saying that “democracy has spoken,” the “French demonstrated their desire to turn the page after seven years of derogatory and corrosive power” and called for a ” absolute majority”. in the second round.

In a brief speech, he thanked the “mark of trust”, said that the “Macronist bloc” has been “practically erased” and invited the French to “renew” their vote on July 7 if they vote for the National Union and appealed to those who made other decisions: “If you made another decision, I invite you to join the coalition of security, freedom and unity.”

“Nothing has been won and the second round will be decisive to prevent the country from falling into the hands of the left-wing coalition, a far-left with violent tendencies,” he said. He added: “I want to say that no French person will lose any rights. On the contrary, rights will be guaranteed and new ones will be created for the benefit of all.”

Jordan Bardella, head of the National Union list, also highlighted the turnout and said that the French “confirmed the clear desire for change” and demonstrated “an unprecedented choice across the country.” “I ask them to continue to mobilize in a final effort next Sunday because the vote will be one of the most decisive in history,” he said.

The head of the list believes that “the presidential field has been ruled out again” and that “the choice was clear”, with “two open paths”. He also criticised the “alliance of a Popular Front with Jean-Luc Mélenchon that will lead the country to disorder and economic ruin”, which he accused of being the “dangerous extreme left” and which “proposes opening the doors to immigration” and “without moral limits”.

Macron and Mélechon united in strategy against the UN

Shortly after the results of the polls were announced, the French president issued a statement, quoted by Le Monde, in which he said that the high turnout rate revealed the will of the French people to “clarify the political situation.” “Their democratic choice obliges us,” he said.

“Before the National Union The time has come for a large rally, clearly Democratic and Republican, for the second round“, he appealed.

In a statement, Macron’s pro-party Renascença announced that it would withdraw candidates from the circles in which it ranks third, in an attempt to curb the far right. “Faced with the threat of a victory for the far right, we call on all political groups to act responsibly and do the same,” reads the party’s statement, quoted in Le Monde.

In this way, the candidates representing the movement of the current French president and who failed to finish second will withdraw in favor of the candidates of the New Popular Front who have a chance of winning the National Union and with whom, according to the note, they share “the essential: the values ​​of the Republic.”

The idea had already been floated by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the France Insoumise movement (part of the New Popular Front coalition): to concentrate the votes against the National Union in circles where, in the new vote, there is a dispute between more than three candidates. How? To withdraw the candidates who come third, “wherever and under all circumstances”.

“Our instructions are clear, our instructions are simple. Not one more vote, not one more seat for the UN,” he continued. “Everyone must take a stand and involve and convince those around them,” he argued. “It is France that is at stake. France is at stake. The Republic is at stake. The idea that we have of living together is at stake.”

After his speech, the Public plaza In a statement, he supported the decision of the New National Front, calling for “the Republican withdrawal and the Democratic vote everywhere to block the path of the UN.”

We are facing history. The far right is at the gates of power. We will not resist, we will not fail. We call for a republican withdrawal and a democratic vote to prevent the path to the RN.
These tragic moments are neither tolerant nor lazy, nor impossible. https://t.co/VmCoS17n4q

— Rafael Glucksmann (@rglucks1) June 30, 2024

However, the alignment with the far-right barrier did not prevent criticism: in the same speech, Mélenchon stressed that the results of the first round “inflicted a heavy and indisputable defeat” on the French president. “President Macron thought that he was once again locking universal suffrage into the suffocating election that no one else wants: him or the UN,” said Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

“A massive vote foiled the trap set for the country. This vote was a harsh and indisputable defeat for the president.”, he continued.

The longest silence was that of Gabriel Attal, Prime Minister of France and defeated in the first round of the legislative elections. He only reacted several minutes after his opponents and said that he has the “sincere conviction” that the “fight [do partido] “It is essential.” “The extreme right is on the verge of power and the National Assembly risks being dominated by the extreme right,” he said, stressing that “The objective is clear: to prevent the National Union from having an absolute majority and governing the country.”.

“To all our voters, not a single vote must go to the National Union,” appealed the candidate of Macron’s party, stressing that it is necessary to “unite all efforts” to stop the extreme right.

In one of the last speeches of the night, the Prime Minister, who apparently cannot be re-elected in a second round, said that it is necessary to continue defending the Republic and its values. “This week we will continue fighting with all our strength,” he concluded, asking for votes for candidates who “defend the Republic.”