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France’s President Emmanuel Macron leaves the polling booth prior to cast his vote in the first round of parliamentary elections at a polling station in Le Touquet, northern France (POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
The Council on Foreign Relations, a US-based think tank, suggested that such moves would render the European legal order “increasingly shaky” at a time when unity – in the face of Vladimir Putin’s Russia and populism – is vital.
“And if France is no longer willing to follow EU rules or faithfully implement decisions taken by the European Council of Ministers, then it is doubtful that the EU can continue to function as it has for the past few decades,” they wrote, noting that France, alongside Germany, is the driving force of the bloc.
Further cause for concern for Brussels will be National Rally’s stance on immigration and Islam; their views have regularly been criticised as discriminatory, redolent of a Hungarian administration, for example, that has turned Budapest into the bogeyman of the bloc.
National Rally’s “national preference” ideology extends to prioritising French-born citizens for healthcare and state benefits, while they also intend to introduce a law to combat “Islamist ideologies” by making it easier to close mosques and deport imams who are deemed to be radicalised.
In terms of French relations with the United Kingdom, which looks set to come under Labour control at the end of this week, it remains uncertain how the parties will coordinate.
Speaking today about the first round results in France, Labour leader Keir Starmer said: “The lesson I take from nationalism and populism wherever it is, across Europe or across the world, is that we need to address the everyday concerns of people.
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French far-right Rassemblement National (RN) political party President and lead MEP Jordan Bardella looks on as he gives a speech during the results evening of the first round of the parliamentary elections in Paris (AFP via Getty Images)
“We need to show in the UK on Thursday and across the world that only progressives have the answers, but we also need to understand why people feel disaffected with politics and explain why politics is a force for good.”
Regarding the Paris Olympic Games, which starts 19 days after the second round of voting, officials have promised that politics will have no impact on the competition.
Paris 2024 organisers said they were ready to deliver the Games after seven years of preparation and to help unite the nation.
“With just a few weeks to go before the Games, we have entered a highly operational phase. All the major decisions have been taken a long time ago,” the statement read.
“The state is obviously a key player, but we know that we can count on their full engagement and that of our public services, even in the context of these early elections, to move forward on the remaining issues,” it added.
Source link : https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/france-election-marine-le-pen-macron-b2571814.html
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Publish date : 2024-07-01 11:18:00
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