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Radio France Internationale
Radio France Internationale
National

France's Socialist Party joins far-left alliance ahead of key elections

Jean-Luc Melenchon, former presidential candidate for the far-left France Unbowed party, speaks with Socialist Party First Secretary Olivier Faure in the National Assembly. AFP - DAVID NIVIERE

France's Socialist Party and the far-left France Unbowed (LFI) party have reached an "in principle" agreement to form an alliance for legislative elections in June.

Speaking on France Info radio on Wednesday, LFI politician Adrien Quatennens said: "We can and will beat Emmanuel Macron and we can do it with a majority to govern for a radical programme."

However, the deal struck by negotiators still needs to be approved by the Socialist Party’s national committee on Thursday evening.

Mélenchon creates united front

LFI has recently made similar deals with the French greens (EELV) and the Communists (PCF), creating a united front under the leadership of far-left kingmaker Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

Mélenchon has said he wants to become France's prime minister in the next government and hopes to deprive the newly re-elected President Emmanuel Macron of a majority in parliament in the legislative polls on 12 and 19 June and thwart his pro-business agenda.

The pro-European Socialists had been holding out after days of negotiations at the headquarters of Mélenchon's Eurosceptic party.

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