Candidates in France are rushing to register for an early parliamentary election ahead of a Sunday evening deadline as the country faces a significant political shift. A left-wing alliance, formed to counter the rise of the far right, experienced a setback when a prospective lawmaker, previously convicted for spousal assault, withdrew his candidacy.
The New Popular Front, a coalition of parties from the far-left to the center-left, is campaigning together to prevent the possibility of France's first far-right government since the Nazi occupation. President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the National Assembly in response to a defeat by the far right in the European Parliament election.
The withdrawn candidate, Adrien Quatennens, a former lawmaker with the hard-left France Unbowed party, had been convicted of spousal assault. His inclusion among the election candidates tested the unity of the New Popular Front. Pressure from fellow left-wing lawmaker François Ruffin led Quatennens to step down to avoid harming the alliance's chances against the far right.
In a statement, Quatennens expressed regret for his actions and emphasized the urgency of preventing far-right governance in France. Other candidates, including former President François Hollande, have also entered the race, citing the threat posed by the extreme right.
Macron is hoping that the early legislative vote will help his centrist party recover from its defeat by the far-right National Rally in the European Parliament election. The outcome of the upcoming election will determine the future political landscape of France.
