Around 200 Candidates Withdraw Ahead Of France’s Runoff Election, Blocking Far Right

At least 200 candidates have withdrawn ahead of France’s crucial runoff election, as President Emmanuel Macron and a left-wing coalition join forces to block the far-right National Rally party revealed by an AFP tally on Tuesday.

France is set to vote on Sunday in the final round of the snap legislative elections happening in two rounds on 30 June and 7 July called by President Macron, following his party’s poor performance in last month’s European elections. The strategic withdrawals are aimed at consolidating votes to prevent Marine Le Pen’s National Rally from securing an absolute majority of 289 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly.

Ahead of Tuesday’s 6:00 p.m. (1600 GMT) registration deadline for the second round, over 200 candidates had stepped down, with nearly all withdrawals coming from the left-wing or Macron’s centrist camp, according to AFP. Among those who quit, more than 110 were members are of the left-wing New Popular Front, and over 70 represented Macron’s centrist faction.

A far-right candidate also withdrew due to an old social media post featuring her in a Nazi cap, a party official reported to local media.

The National Rally scored a significant victory in the June 30 first round, garnering over 10.6 million votes. However, only 76 lawmakers, predominantly from the far right and left, were elected outright in this round.

The remaining 501 seats will be decided in the second round through run-offs between the remaining candidates. The tactical withdrawals aim to unite the vote against the far right, reflecting the high stakes of the upcoming runoff and the efforts of Macron’s camp and left-wing coalitions to curb the National Rally’s potential majority.