France's Legislative Elections: A Heated Final Debate
Representatives of the three major blocs in the French elections engaged in a fiery television debate yesterday, as the left and President Emmanuel Macron's camp raced against time to close the gap with the far-right National Rally, which continues to lead in vote intentions for the first round of the legislative elections scheduled for Sunday.
The electoral campaign officially ends at midnight local time (10 p.m. GMT), with the second round taking place on July 7. According to an Ifop-Fiducial opinion poll, the National Rally is leading with 36% of vote intentions, followed by the leftist 'New Popular Front' coalition at 29%, and Macron's bloc 'Together for the Republic' at 21%. The traditional right, 'Republicans,' trails with only 6.5%.
Controversial Statements and Political Tensions
Jordan Bardella, head of the National Rally, aims to secure an absolute majority in the National Assembly, a condition he set for assuming the presidency of the government. During the debate, Bardella reiterated his stance on foreign policy and defense, sparking controversy with statements about the role of the 'Commander of the Armed Forces,' a position constitutionally granted to the president.
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal criticized Bardella's position, warning that if the National Rally wins, there could be a 'quarrel' between the Prime Minister and the President over who commands the armed forces. Attal, who has seen a remarkable rise in the ruling center’s ranks, emphasized the security risks and the continuity of France.
Attal also accused the far-right of racism, anti-Semitism, and anti-gay statements, which Bardella denied. President Macron, speaking from Brussels, condemned the 'racism and anti-Semitism' in the political debate and criticized the National Rally's 'arrogance.'
The French elections are being closely followed abroad, especially in Kiev, which fears a decline in French support against Russia if the far-right comes to power. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky expressed confidence that France would continue to support Ukraine regardless of the political outcome.
- During the final debate, Gabriel Attal, Olivier Faure, and Jordan Bardella presented their closing arguments. Bardella positioned himself as the guarantor of state authority and security, while Faure defended the economic program of the New Popular Front and portrayed it as the best barrier to the far-right.
- Attal, seeking a middle path, described his adversaries' plans as unrealistic and promised to organize an annual referendum on important subjects to the French people. The Minister of the Interior predicted 'extremely serious unrest' in the fall if his camp is defeated, anticipating chaos from both the ultra-left and ultra-right.
- In addition to the political tensions, France is expecting a drop in temperatures and violent storms over the weekend, potentially impacting voter turnout. The stormy weather is expected to affect more than half of the country, with temperatures dropping between 10 and 15 °C.
