“Dangerous gamble” – this is how many Western media describe the decision of the president of France, Emmanuel Macron, to announce early legislative elections.
According to an article in the New York Times, Macron gave the far right its best chance to govern France for the first time since the ‘Vichy regime’ of World War II.
“For those who have the most to lose from the extreme right in power – above all immigrants and the descendants of recent immigrants, the news is terrible. Macron, surely, hopes that this move is to his advantage. But make no mistake: France is in danger,” wrote the New York Times.
Macron called the election after the coalition led by his centrist Renaissance party suffered a crushing defeat by the far-right National Rally party in European Parliament elections this month.
He expressed the belief that the French people will make the “fairest choice”.
“The rise of nationalists and demagogues is a danger for our nation, but also for our Europe and for France’s place in Europe and in the world,” said Macron.
The first round of elections will take place on June 30, the second on July 7.
Opinion polls, including one published on the website Le Point, put Marine Le Pen’s National Rally ahead with nearly 30 percent of the vote in the first round.
