Macron Warns of Potential 'Civil War' in France

Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, warned on Monday that both the far-right party 'National Rally' and the leftist 'New Popular Front' party, competing in the country's parliamentary elections, could lead France into a state of 'civil war.' He cautioned that the party platform of 'National Rally'—which polls predict will win the elections—relies on 'stigmatization and division' as solutions to crime and immigration. Macron stated, 'I believe the solutions proposed by the far-right are impractical, as they categorize people based on their religion and ethnicity, which can lead to conflict and civil war.' He applied the same criticisms to the far-left party 'France Unbowed,' which is part of the 'New Popular Front' coalition. He remarked, 'This one also leads to civil war because you are merely categorizing people based on their religion or the community they belong to, which justifies separating them from the broader national community, thus engaging in civil war with those whose values differ from yours.' Jordan Bardella, the leader of the far-right 'National Rally' party, who would likely become Prime Minister if his party wins, responded to Macron's comments on the M6 television network, stating, 'A president should not say such things.' Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of 'France Unbowed,' condemned Macron's remarks in an interview with France 2 television, asserting that Macron's own policies are what lead to social unrest.