French President Emmanuel Macron
In a recent podcast interview, French President Emmanuel Macron cautioned that the upcoming legislative elections could potentially escalate into conflict if either far left or far right parties sweep into power. Macron emphasised that only his centrist ruling coalition could bring peace and prevent such a scenario. Speaking on June 23, 2024, Macron criticised both the right-wing party National Rally and the left-wing France Unbowed Party for promoting divisive politics that could exacerbate societal tensions.
He labelled these parties as extremist and warned that their rhetoric risked further conflict. “When daily life becomes difficult, there is a temptation to vote for extreme solutions Macron stated,” but the answer can never be to reject others. Earlier in June 2024, Macron dissolved the parliament and called for snap elections following a significant electoral setback to his ruling coalition by the National Rally party in the European Union Elections due to immigration policies.
Despite this, Macron asserted his intention to remain president until the end of his term in 2027, highlighting the potential shift in the power dynamics if the legislature and government were to fall under opposition control. According to a poll conducted last week, the National Rally leads with 35.5 percent French voters, followed by a leftist coalition including France Unbowed at 29.5 percent and Macron’s alliance at 19.5 percent.
Macron accused the National Rally seeking to reduce individuals to their religious and ethnic identity due to mass immigration policies, a stance that could push the countries to a civil strife. Similarly, he also condemned the leftist coalition led by France Unbowed’s Jean Luc Melenchon for promoting divisions across religious and ethnic lines, which he claimed also to fuel the conflict. Acknowledging voter demand for change after the European Parliament elections, Macron emphasised the need for profound governance reform.
However, he expressed hope that the new government reflecting voter preferences, would unite different republican factions to oppose extremism. Macron and his allies have portrayed their oppositions as perilous and intolerant. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal echoed this sentiment warning of potential violence if extremist factions were to triumph. “Some in our country harbour hatred and impulses to attack certain communities,” Attal stated highlighting potential concerns over societal polarisation.
Under the leadership of Emmanuel Macron, France has grappled with political turmoil and including ethic unrests and violent protests sparked by continuous policy changes such as mass immigration of the West Asian (Middle East) immigrants. The stage is set for a tense electoral showdown as France prepares for the first round of legislative elections on June 29, 2024, with the second round scheduled for July 7, 2024.
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