France’s ex-PM Edouard Philippe calls for new party to counter far-right

TOURCOING, France - French presidential hopeful Edouard Philippe said on Aug 31 he wanted to bring together the centre and the right and called for the creation of a new political party, as moderates seek to prevent far-right leader Marine Le Pen from coming to power.

Seeking to energise his supporters in the northern town of Tourcoing, Philippe, the centre-right former prime minister, said he wanted to create a new party or an alliance of parties ahead of parliamentary elections expected to follow next spring’s presidential vote.

With less than eight months until the April-May presidential election, Le Pen, 58, is the front-runner in the polls.

“It is about building the governing pact, or the new party, or the new confederation of parties, that will enable all those who want to unite their efforts in the service of the country to govern together,” said the leader of the Horizons party.

“This will involve fielding a single candidate in each constituency,” Philippe, 55, said, adding such candidates would run “under a common banner” in order to build a parliamentary majority following the election.

While Philippe remains the best-positioned candidate on the right, recent surveys indicate that Jean-Luc Melenchon, the divisive leader of hard-left France Unbowed (LFI), could emerge as Le Pen’s most likely run-off opponent, raising some doubts over Philippe’s ability to secure a place in the second round.

Observers say that a crowded field of candidates from the centre, centre left, centre right and right risks fragmenting the moderate vote in the first round.

On Aug 30, Philippe stepped up his push for a “political realignment”, while offering few details of his programme.

“We must build a coalition of those who share the values to which we are fundamentally attached,” he said, referring to respect for the rule of law, commitment to European integration, and support for a market economy.

“Everyone who shares these simple ideas must unite to ensure that France does not drift either toward LFI’s so-called ‘new France’ or toward Madame Le Pen’s nationalist, identity-based brand of populism.”

Particular concern has mounted over growing competition between Philippe and 37-year-old Gabriel Attal, once France’s youngest, openly gay prime minister, as both men hope to secure the backing of the centrist camp.

Speaking in the north-eastern town of Chalons-en-Champagne, Attal sought to highlight differences with Philippe, arguing that his rival in the race was campaigning “with the ideas from 20 years ago”.

Attal, who campaigned throughout the summer, claimed that he was now polling at roughly the same level as Philippe.

“There is no natural candidate or clear favourite in this election,” the leader of the centrist Renaissance party argued.

At the botanical garden of Tourcoing, France’s influential justice minister Gerald Darmanin, who in August pledged not to stand himself and endorsed Philippe, lavished him with praise before a crowd of hundreds of supporters.

Darmanin argued that Philippe was not only “the only person who can win” the presidential election, but also “the only person who can secure a parliamentary majority”.

Responding to Philippe’s proposal, Attal said that “the cart should not be put before the horse”.

“First, you have to win the presidential election,” he said. AFP