French election candidates withdraw in bid to block far right

French voters are eagerly awaiting the second round of parliamentary elections, as numerous candidates have stepped aside to help defeat the far-right National Rally (RN). Parties have until Tuesday evening to register their candidates for the upcoming Sunday elections. The first round, held last Sunday, saw Marine Le Pen's party secure approximately 33% of the vote, with a left-wing alliance coming in second and President Emmanuel Macron's centrists finishing third. However, Le Pen's chances of securing a majority have been significantly impacted by the strategic moves of her opponents. In over half of the constituencies, three candidates qualified from the first round. If one of the two non-RN candidates withdraws, it increases the likelihood of the RN candidate being defeated. By midday Tuesday, around 200 candidates from the left and center had already taken this step. The left-wing New Popular Front (NPF) instructed all its third-placed candidates to step down and allow a centrist to consolidate the anti-RN vote. This move is aiding two senior pro-Macron MPs, former prime minister Elisabeth Borne and Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, in their respective constituencies. Conversely, a pro-Macron candidate has stepped down to support radical left-winger François Ruffin in defeating the RN candidate in Amiens. The RN's 28-year-old president, Jordan Bardella, criticized these arrangements, calling them an 'alliance of dishonor' among parties that have historically been adversaries. Instructions from Macron's centrist bloc have been less explicit. While Macron and Prime Minister Gabriel Attal have urged 'no vote for the RN,' some members of his camp find the NPF's far-left component equally unappealing. Senior figures like Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire and former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, both originally from the center-right, are reluctant to issue blanket instructions to vote against the RN. RN insiders told Le Figaro newspaper that their opponents' tactics did not concern them. 'On the contrary, it's good news. The overall message they're sending is that the entire system is against us,' one insider remarked. RN leaders have stated they will not attempt to form a government unless they achieve an outright majority in Sunday's vote. They argue that they do not want to appear to have power if they cannot pass laws. However, on Tuesday, Marine Le Pen suggested that a lower majority would suffice, provided it is close to the 289-member threshold. She explained that winning around 270 deputies would enable her party to negotiate with individual MPs from other groups. 'We will ask them: Are you ready to join us in a new majority? Are you ready to support a confidence motion? Are you ready to vote for the budget? ' she said. She identified independent MPs from both the right and left, as well as members of the conservative Republicans party, as potential allies. If the RN secures an absolute majority on Sunday, Bardella would be tasked by President Macron to form a government, initiating a tense period of 'cohabitation' between two political adversaries. Under the French Fifth Republic constitution, power would shift from Macron to the prime minister's office. However, Macron would likely seek to retain control over foreign policy and defense. Marine Le Pen also accused the president of orchestrating an 'administrative coup d'état' by allegedly preparing key appointments in the police and army just days before the vote. 'When you try to counter the election results by appointing your people to key positions, and when that prevents the government from implementing policies that the French people have voted for, I call that an administrative coup d'état,' she asserted. 'I hope it is only a rumor,' she added.