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Macron Under Fire Over France 'Civil War' Warning

By AFP - Agence France Presse
June 25, 2024

French President Emmanuel Macron came under strong criticism on Tuesday for warning a far-right or hard-left win in snap polls could spark a "civil war", with his opponents urging him not to scare the public.

France is preparing to vote on Sunday in the country's most polarising ballot in decades. Macron called the parliamentary polls after the far-right National Rally scored a runaway victory in European Parliament elections earlier this month.

French President Emmanuel Macron came under strong criticism on Tuesday for warning a far-right or hard-left win in snap polls could spark a "civil war", with his opponents urging him not to scare the public.

France is preparing to vote on Sunday in the country's most polarising ballot in decades. Macron called the parliamentary polls after the far-right National Rally scored a runaway victory in European Parliament elections earlier this month.

"We are faced with someone who no longer controls anything," he said.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the head of France Unbowed, also criticised Macron, saying on Monday night: "He's always there to set things on fire."

The three main camps -- left, far-right and centre -- are set for a key TV debate on Tuesday evening.

It will pit Prime Minister Gabriel Attal of Macron's centrist Renaissance party against far-right RN party leader Bardella and Manuel Bompard of the left-wing New Popular Front.

Some polls have suggested the RN could win 35-36 percent in the first-round vote on Sunday, ahead of the left-wing alliance on 27-29.5 percent and Macron's centrists coming third on 19.5-22 percent.

A second round of voting will follow on July 7 in constituencies where no candidate takes more than 50 percent in the first round.

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