French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday called for unity against the extremes in an upcoming general election that he called after his Renaissance Party-led Renew Europe grouping suffered a massive defeat by the far-right Rassemblement National at the weekend in national polls to elect members to the European Parliament. Photo by Teresa Suarez/EPA-EFE
June 12 (UPI) -- French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday urged moderates to join forces to form a governing pact in the wake of calling a high-risk snap election that may see his minority Renaissance Party-led coalition government unseated.
Defending Sunday's decision to dissolve the National Assembly for a general election on June 30 and July 7 after suffering a heavy defeat by the far-right in European Parliament elections, Macron told a press briefing it was the only democratic response to the concerns and difficulties expressed by voters.
Making a plea for centrist, democrat and pro-European parties to unite under a single electoral platform to defeat the far-right, he insisted calling the election just two years into a five year term was the best chance of keeping the far-right out of power.
"Returning to the sovereign people is, in my opinion, the only republican decision in this context," he said, calling it a historic moment for the country after the leader of The Republicans party, Eric Ciotti, called for an electoral-alliance with Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally.
"Do we think that Mr. Ciotti -- and The Republicans who follow him -- who up until now explained that the ruling majority was too lax and that we needed to rein in our public spending faster, would govern effectively with the National Rally, whose program has been independently costed at about $108 billion a year for our taxpayers?"
Macron said he was appealing to "men and women of good will who were able to say 'no' to extremes to join together to be able to build a joint project... a coalition to govern" in service of the French people and the republic.
Acknowledging that there was a legitimate need for a national discussion and reflection on what was best for France, Macron insisted the center ground in politics could and would take action, pledging to work tirelessly to boost national security and enforce existing laws to tackle illegal migration.
During the nearly two-hour-long briefing, the president -- whose position is not on the ballot -- shrugged off complaints he is a hindrance rather than an asset to lawmaker-members of his government who have to face voters in 18 days' time.
"The president gives a direction, he is not there to campaign. I will not campaign more than during [parliamentary elections] in 2017 and 2022," he said in comments that received a mixed response from his MPs who were present.
Macron called the election even before the last polls for the European Parliament elections closed across the 27-member country bloc Sunday after it became clear the National Rally gained 30 seats, up from 18 in 2019, while his Renew Europe grouping was beaten into a distant second place with 13 seats.
