Macron Urges French Citizens to Make the 'Right Choice' in Early Elections

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, said on Monday that he is confident that the French people will make the 'right choice' in the early elections he called after suffering defeat to far-right parties in the European Parliament elections. Macron's surprising decision to dissolve the French Parliament was announced while centrist parties managed to retain a majority in the European Parliament, but far-right parties achieved significant victories in Italy, Austria, and France. Analysts say Macron has taken a risky gamble by dissolving the National Assembly, an attempt to keep the 'National Rally' party from power. On Monday, Macron wrote on social media platform X: 'I trust the capacity of the French people to make the right choice for themselves and future generations.' Concerns about the impact of early elections on the Paris Olympics have arisen. The announcement of the first round of early National Assembly elections on June 30 and the second round on July 7 has raised alarm bells in France and even provoked reactions within Macron's party. The newspaper Le Monde stated in its editorial: 'The president playing with fire could burn himself and set the whole country ablaze.' Despite a storm of criticism over such a decision, Macron appeared calm on Monday during a visit to the village of Oradour-sur-Glane, located in southwestern France, where Nazis committed atrocities against civilians during World War II. Macron was accompanied by Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the President of Germany, who also said: 'Let us never forget the destruction caused by nationalism and hatred in Europe.' The night before, Macron had warned in a televised speech about the dangers of the 'rise of nationalists and populism' for France and Europe. The anti-immigration and far-right 'National Rally' party, led by Marine Le Pen, garnered about 40 percent of the votes in the European parliamentary elections.