2024-07-08 13:28:06
Le Pen and the extreme right have put to the test the ideals of France, its identity, its democratic principles, and what is happening is unprecedented. The candidates of the two political forces, the centrist and the far-left coalition, have agreed in an unprecedented way to withdraw their candidates to give those who have a better chance to defeat the far-right candidate. This is what diplomat and former Minister of Foreign Affairs Nadezhda Neinski told bTV.
“This is a very big lesson in democracy that France is giving – to unite extremely different political forces to protect democracy,” she added.
According to her, the change between the first and second round of the parliamentary elections in France is extremely large and this is not accidental.
“I expect an even higher voter turnout in the second round, because the stakes are very high. I expect that the far right will not get the results that will enable it to govern France. She will certainly be a leading political force, but she will fall far short of the 280 votes that would give her an absolute majority. One thing is certain – the remaining political forces outside the extreme right have a chance to dominate. The extreme right will have the first place, but if the second and third forces or a coalition make a government possible after the elections, it will be historically important for France and for Europe,” said Nadezhda Neinsky.
According to Neinsky, French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to dissolve parliament and call new elections was a gamble, but the only one possible.
“Had he allowed Le Pen’s attack to develop over the coming months and years, France would probably have dawned one day with a nationalist president.” He played very bravely, there were heavy critics against this decision, but he achieved what no one thought he could – the unification of the centrists and the left against the nationalists. This gave a chance to the center and to normality in France, we will see to what extent it will be realized,” she noted.
According to her, what is happening in France also threatens Europe.
“Le Pen is known as an extremely close ally of Putin. She began to change her speech, but in 2014 for the local elections she took out a 9 million euro loan from a Russian bank to finance the vote. Moscow welcomes Le Pen, it says that France must save itself from the dominance of Brussels and Washington,” the former foreign minister said.
According to Nadezhda Neinski, the extreme right could threaten important European decisions, such as security and the budget.