Parties across the political spectrum in France are rushing to form broader alliances for the snap parliamentary elections called by President Emmanuel Macron following his bruising defeat in the European elections.
Macron said he plans to win the parliamentary elections by expanding his centrist alliance. "I'm going for victory," Macron said in an interview with the newspaper Le Figaro on Tuesday.
In the next few days, he wants to "reach out to all those who are ready to govern." His alliance needs to broaden its base and formulate its line more clearly, he said.
Macron dissolved the National Assembly on Sunday evening in response to the defeat of his centrist camp in the European elections and the resounding victory of the right-wing nationalists.
New parliamentary elections are to be held in two rounds on June 30 and July 7.
Right-wing alliance
Conservative Republicans leader Éric Ciotti said his party should join forces with the right-wing nationalist National Rally (RN).
"We need an alliance," Ciotti said on broadcaster TF1 on Tuesday after talks with the leadership of Marine Le Pen's party, which won the EU election.
An alliance between the party of the centre-right and the right-wing nationalists would be a break with the position of maintaining a firewall against the extreme right.
It is unclear how many in the party are behind Ciotti's decision.
Some party called for his resignation shortly after his television appearance. The debate about a collaboration with RN is likely to put Ciotti's party, which has been in a downward spiral for years, to the test.
Meanwhile, National Rally leader Jordan Bardella has held talks with leaders of the far-right party Reconquest.
Popular Front
Late on Monday evening, the Left Party, Socialists, Communists and Greens agreed in principle to form a joint Popular Front movement. They said in a statement that they would therefore put forward only one candidate in each constituency, and not compete against each other.
"We want a programme of social and ecological transformation to build an alternative to Emmanuel Macron and fight the racist project of the extreme right," the statement said.
However, the left-wing alliance is far from a done deal. While the left-wing parties stood together in the last parliamentary elections two years ago and formed a joint parliamentary group, the alliance was effectively broken up in the dispute over the position on the Gaza war.
Macron defends new elections
Macron defended his decision on Sunday to dissolve the National Assembly after his defeat in the European elections. His camp received less than half as many votes as Le Pen's eurosceptic National Rally.
"I'm only thinking of France. It was the right decision, in the interests of the country. And I say to the French, don't be afraid, go and vote," Macron told the newspaper.
Macron intends to present his party's election programme at a press conference that has been postponed from Tuesday to Wednesday.
Macron's position as president is not at stake. In the interview with Le Figaro, Macron did not want to consider the possibility of resigning in the event of a victory for the right-wing populists in the parliamentary elections.
The right-wing party does not determine the constitution, he said. "The institutions are clear, and so is the place of the president, regardless of the result."
Shift in balance
The National Assembly is one of two French chambers of parliament. It is involved in legislation and can topple the government with a vote of no confidence.
Macron and his allies currently have 250 of the 577 deputies. The left-wing camp has 149 seats, the National Rally 88 and the Republicans 61.
A total of 289 seats in the lower house of parliament are required for an absolute majority.
It is not yet clear how the balance could shift in the new election. Should a camp other than Macron's gain an absolute majority, the president would be forced to appoint a prime minister from their ranks.
