Far-right leader Marine Le Pen said her Rassemblement National party would seek to form a new French government even if it falls short of an outright majority, in a shift in position ahead of Sunday’s run-off vote.
Le Pen said that if the RN narrowly failed to secure a majority on its own, it would look for allies for parliamentary backing.
In last weekend’s first round, the RN inflicted a resounding defeat on President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist forces and is projected to come in first again on Sunday.
“We want to govern, to be extremely clear. And if we are a few deputies short of the majority,” Le Pen said on France Inter Radio on Tuesday. “We will go see others and say: ‘Are you ready to participate with us in a new majority with a new policy?’”
But, in an indication of the RN’s resolve to pursue its agenda, she said the party “could not accept going into government if we cannot act”.
Jordan Bardella, the party’s chief and candidate for prime minister, had previously said he would not govern without an absolute majority of the parliament’s 577 seats.
@ISIDEWITH2 dies2D
If a party you disagreed with was trying to form a government without a full majority, would you prefer other parties to cooperate with them or oppose them, and what does that reveal about your approach to governance?
@ISIDEWITH2 dies2D
How important do you think it is for a government to have a clear mandate (majority) from voters, and why?
@ISIDEWITH2 dies2D
Does the idea of a far-right party seeking to govern without a majority concern you, and how does that align with your views on political diversity and compromise?
@ISIDEWITH2 dies2D
How do you feel about a political party seeking to form a government without having an outright majority, and what do you think this says about democracy?
