The Republican front has “reformed” against the RN, but beware of voter fatigue
More than 210 candidates “from the centrist camp of President Emmanuel Macron and the left-wing alliance withdrew in the hope of avoiding a division of votes”, observed CNN. “They put aside their differences with one goal: to keep the far right away from the 289 seats required to obtain an absolute majority.”.
“It won’t have been easy”, notes The evening. “It took a lot of instructions, pressure, and procrastination.” to achieve these withdrawals “unprecedented and massive”.
But the result is there : “The barrier against the extreme right took shape in France on Tuesday before the second round of legislative elections” and the submission of applications, “officially closed at 6:00 p.m., gives a clear vision of the physiognomy of these historic elections”, writing View.
A popular front “not as strong” as in the past
The New Popular Front has withdrawn more than 130 candidates, and the presidential camp, 82. Other withdrawals are still possible in the coming days, like the MoDem Dominique Despras, who withdrew on Tuesday evening shortly after submitting his candidacy.
“The effort made to try to erect a Republican barrier is therefore slightly greater on the left”, underlines Free Belgium. “Macron can thank her because these withdrawals should allow her to save many of her candidates”.
If The Country congratulates himself one “Republican front, the French version of the cordon sanitaire against the extreme right” be it “reform” After the first round of the legislative elections, he noted that he “is not as strong as it was in the past, nor is it certain that it will achieve its goal. Marine Le Pen, who has softened her program and image over the years, is no longer perceived as the threat she once was.”
And especially, “It is not certain that voters will follow the instructions of the parties for which they voted in the first round”and “the republican front decided between the parties extends to the voters”warns the centre-left daily.
Fear of a “neither-nor” effect
An opinion shared by The evening. “If this new configuration changes the situation for the second round, it remains impossible to predict the transfer of votes from voters deprived of their first choice next Sunday” .
“Will left-wing voters switch to the Macronists after having denounced Emmanuel Macron’s liberal policies for seven years, his very unpopular pension reform and his recent immigration law, voted through with the support of the RN?”asks the Belgian daily. “And, conversely, will centrist voters, after hearing worse than hanging from the New Popular Front before the first round (…) eat their hats in the sole hope of warding off the worst?”.
Especially since “Voters feel that the president (Macron) is constantly trying to test them – first by bringing forward the legislative elections, and now by withdrawing his candidates”, analysis The newspaper. The Catalan daily fears “a neither-nor effect” – neither the RN nor the New Popular Front – which could provoke “an increase in abstention”.
In summary, for The Corriere della Sera The most important figure next Sunday will be “the turnout: the lower it is, the more it will favor Bardella”.
