PARIS: The French far-right National Rally (RN) on Thursday said the party is in a strong position to win an absolute majority in parliament.
The head of the party and three-time presidential candidate Marine Le Pen said despite electoral agreements between the centre and the left aimed at thwarting its rise to power the absolute majority is possible.
The statement comes at a time when three days are left to the second round of the most critical legislative elections in the history of France.
Earlier, a poll projected that the RN would fall short of an absolute majority despite its victory in the June 30 first round. The outcome of the election will determine if France elects its first far-right government.
The party of President Emmanuel Macron and a left-wing coalition have withdrawn over 200 candidates from the runoff on Sunday in an attempt to ensure the far right is defeated.
“I think there is still the capacity to have an absolute majority with the electorate turning out in a final effort to get what they want,” Le Pen told BFMTV.
She said the turnout to vote is really important to get a change in politics in all the areas. If the RN secures an absolute majority of 289 seats in the 577-member National Assembly, it will be able to form a government with Jordan Bardella as prime minister.
She, however, acknowledged that the strategy by Macron’s centrists and the New Popular Front (NFP) coalition to withdraw candidates was an attempt to prevent the RN from having an absolute majority.
The moves have triggered speculation that a possible right-centre-left coalition could emerge after the election to stop the RN from taking power.
