2024 Legislative Elections. Triangular: The Uncertain Republican Front in France
They came out of the polls in record numbers. Between 285 and 315 triangulars (before withdrawals) will largely determine the final composition of the future National Assembly in the second round on July 7. They will be decisive, explained before the vote already the Belgian daily The evening. Because unlike the duels, which number 150 to 170, “eThey will also raise the question of possible withdrawals to block one or the other camp.”
By nature, it would be the National Rally which would find itself advantaged, explained the newspaper. Given in the lead in a “large number of constituencies”, Marine Le Pen’s party seemed to be able to benefit from a certain “dynamic”, according to Le Soir. “In triangular races, we usually say in France that third place is that of the dead man!” also wrote the Belgian title. The one where a candidate could give up competing.
The only way to slow down the RN would be for the left, conservatives and politicians from the Macron camp to overcome their opposition to allow votes to be postponed to the second round, estimated for his part Der Spiegel in Germany. “The alliance of other parties against the extreme right has been a democratic practice in France for decades. But the stronger the RN becomes, the weaker the alliance against it becomes,” explains the weekly.
The president’s ambiguity
According to the results on Sunday evening, 230 to 260 triangulars would oppose the leading trio, the National Rally (RN), the New Popular Front (NFP), and Ensemble. The NFP was in third position in 105 constituencies, and the presidential list in 118. This is why, shortly after 8 p.m., the general voting instructions were particularly awaited.
Concerning the president, first. Emmanuel Macron “does not yet give a voting recommendation for the second round”, notes The Time in Germany. The head of state called in a statement to the press “to a broad, clearly Democratic and Republican gathering for the second round.” An ambiguity at the Élysée which was not entirely a surprise. “The idea of a ‘neither nor’, had made its way, notes the Evening: neither vote in favor of a candidate from the extreme right nor vote in favor of a candidate from France Insoumise, the two ‘extremes’ thus being sent back to back.”
The Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, later declared that the Ensemble candidates who came third and “whose maintenance would have resulted in the election of a National Rally deputy” will have to withdraw to support “another candidate who, like us, defends the values of the Republic.”
A new phase in French political life
At France Insoumise, the dam is not in doubt. Where the NFP came 3rd in a three-way race, “we will withdraw our candidacy”declared Jean-Luc Mélenchon on Sunday evening.
There remains the fourth force. The Republicans, who obtained some 10% of the votes, gave no voting instructions, whileEric Ciotti called for the unity of all “the right”.
In Spain, The Country estimate that “everything will be played out” so in the coming days of campaigning. The candidates of the triangular races should have made their decision on Tuesday at 6 p.m. As for Emmanuel Macron’s call to form a front against the extreme right, the daily writes: “It remains to be seen how this will happen.”
“In the coming hours, we will know whether the Republican Front, the French version of the cordon sanitaire, which has so far prevented Le Pen’s party from gaining power, will be reactivated. In any case, after the undeniable electoral success of this party, French politics has entered a new phase, that of a country where the national-populist movement occupies a central place in society.”
