Hundreds of candidates withdraw from Sunday’s parliamentary elections to foil far-right march
In a bid to prevent the formation of the country's first far-right government, France's left-wing and centrist parties have withdrawn hundreds of candidates from Sunday’s parliamentary elections, media reports said.
The mass exit came before a Tuesday registration deadline before the final run-off vote on Sunday, reported Al Jazeera news channel.
The people who resigned were mostly allies of French President Emmanuel Macron or from left-wing parties.
Macron called for a snap poll after his party performed poorly in European elections.
Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) party put up a strong show by winning most of the seats in the first round polling held on June 30.
Le Pen’s party, which portrays itself as an anti-immigration platform, has expressed hope of winning enough seats in the second round to form the government.
Le Pen told Al Jazeera on Tuesday the party will still seek to form a government even if it falls just short of the 289-seat absolute majority in the 577-seat National Assembly.
Macron’s centrists and the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) hope they can prevent such an event, with the president telling a closed-door meeting of ministers at the Elysee Palace on Tuesday that the top priority was blocking the RN from power, the news channel reported.
IBNS
Senior Staff Reporter at Northeast Herald, covering news from Tripura and Northeast India.
Related Articles
BBC top brass fall! Tim Davie, Deborah Turness quit amid Trump documentary firestorm
London/IBNS: BBC has faced a crisis with two of its senior executives resigning after a controversy broke out over a leaked internal memo that revealed editorial lapses in a Panorama documentary, media reports said.
Tragedy in US: Speeding car ploughs into a crowd outside a bar in Tampa, four killed
At least four people were killed and 11 others injured after a speeding vehicle crashed into a crowded bar in Tampa’s Ybor City early Saturday, police said.
Nepal: Bodies of two missing Indian tourists recovered
The bodies of two Indian tourists, who went missing on October 20, have been recovered from Nepal's Manang district, local media reports said.
Bangladesh busts massive Pakistan shipment hiding 25 tonnes of banned poppy seeds
Bangladeshi customs officials have seized a 32-tonne shipment from Pakistan after it was found to contain 25 tonnes of banned poppy seeds, local media reported.
Latest News
BBC top brass fall! Tim Davie, Deborah Turness quit amid Trump documentary firestorm
Notorious gang strikes again in border Golchakkar area: One injured, 4 arrested, several bikes ransacked
'Be careful with your words': Rajnath Singh’s caution to Yunus rattles Bangladesh
Massive 360 kg explosive materials seized close to Delhi; doctors under scanner