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French Left Triumphs as Far Right Faces Unexpected Defeat

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France’s far-right National Rally was widely expected to win the snap election, but they ended up in third place. The left-wing alliance, New Popular Front, secured the most seats after a highly charged and short election called just four weeks ago by a weakened President Emmanuel Macron.

The National Rally (RN) had won the first round, and opinion polls predicted their victory in the run-off round. Instead, France faces a hung parliament with no party holding a majority. RN leader Jordan Bardella attributed their failure to “unnatural political alliances.”

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, appointed by Macron seven months ago, announced he would resign, though his Ensemble alliance was projected to win three times the forecasted number of seats. This was partly due to 217 candidates, mostly from the left alliance and Macron’s camp, withdrawing to help their rivals defeat RN. This strategy allowed center and left voters to pivot to other parties to prevent the far right from gaining control.

Mr. Bardella criticized the alliances for depriving voters of solutions to France’s cost of living crisis and accused the Macron alliance of facilitating a left-wing victory, which left France in a “quagmire.”

The left-wing alliance, led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon of France Unbowed, now leads the parliament. Mélenchon’s party, seen as far left by rivals, is projected to have up to 94 seats. He declared the president and prime minister should accept defeat, prompting Attal to announce his resignation.

Attal, a popular politician, praised the candidates who withdrew to stop RN and acknowledged the need for stability during the upcoming Paris Olympics. He expressed willingness to remain as long as necessary but faced opposition from the New Popular Front, which is now ready to govern.

The alliance, hastily formed after Macron called for the two-round vote, includes Greens, Communists, and Socialists. Leaders from these groups, like Marine Tondelier of the Greens and Olivier Faure of the Socialists, emphasized their readiness to govern and the rejection of the far right. Former Macron Prime Minister Edouard Philippe highlighted the election’s uncertainty and called for centrist forces to restore stability.

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Dutch election: Anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders wins dramatic victory

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Geert Wilders, a veteran anti-Islam populist leader, has achieved a significant victory in the Dutch general election, securing 37 seats for his Freedom Party (PVV) after 25 years in parliament. This outcome has shaken Dutch politics and is anticipated to have repercussions across Europe. Despite his success, Wilders needs to form a coalition government by persuading other parties to join him, aiming for a total of 76 seats in the 150-seat parliament.

Wilders capitalized on public frustration regarding migration issues, promising to “close borders.” However, he temporarily shelved his proposal to ban the Koran. In his victory speech, Wilders expressed the desire to govern and acknowledged the substantial responsibility that comes with the support he received.

Before the election, major parties had ruled out participating in a Wilders-led government due to his far-right policies. However, the scale of his victory may prompt reconsideration. The left-wing alliance under Frans Timmermans came in second with 25 seats, rejecting any collaboration with a Wilders-led government.

The third-placed VVD, a center-right liberal party led by Dilan Yesilgöz, and a new party formed by whistleblower MP Pieter Omtzigt in fourth, remain potential coalition partners. While Yesilgöz previously stated she would not serve in a Wilders-led cabinet, she did not rule out working with him. Omtzigt, initially hesitant, now expresses willingness to cooperate.

Wilders’ victory has garnered praise from nationalist and far-right leaders across Europe. He advocates for a referendum to leave the EU, known as “Nexit,” although this may face resistance from potential coalition partners.

During the campaign, Wilders softened his anti-Islam rhetoric, focusing on issues such as migration. He strategically deferred policies like banning mosques and Islamic schools. The campaign capitalized on dissatisfaction with the previous government’s collapse over asylum rules.

Migration emerged as a key theme, with Wilders vowing to address a “tsunami of asylum and immigration.” Net migration into the Netherlands surged to over 220,000, exacerbated by a shortage of 390,000 homes.

Despite the shock of Wilders’ victory, challenges lie ahead in forming a government, particularly due to his far-right stance. The international precedent suggests that excluding radical right-wing parties may diminish their influence.

In conclusion, Geert Wilders’ triumph in the Dutch general election has political implications for the country and echoes across Europe, with the formation of a coalition government presenting a complex task for the populist leader.

Picture courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright