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France’s presidential coalition to withdraw some 60 candidates in second round — PM

This decision was made to prevent the victory of the opposition right-wing National Rally Party, Gabriel Attal said

PARIS, June 30. /TASS/. France’s presidential coalition Together for the Republic will withdraw around 60 candidates ahead of the second round of voting in the parliamentary elections in a bid to prevent the victory of the opposition right-wing National Rally Party, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said.

"We have made this choice after the first round of voting in more than 60 constituencies. It means that we will withdraw our candidates because if they stay in the third place, a candidate from the National Rally will defeat the other candidate who, like us, would defend the republic’s values," he said.

France held the first round of early parliamentary elections on Sunday. The right-wing National Rally is winning 33% of the vote, the left-wing New Popular Front is scoring 28.5%, and the presidential coalition Together For the Republic has 22%.

On June 9, Macron announced his decision to dissolve the National Assembly, or lower house of France's parliament, and organize early parliamentary elections following the crushing defeat of the presidential Renaissance Party at the elections to the European Parliament, where it (14.6%) was routed by the opposition National Rally Party (31.4%). The last time the lower house was dissolved was in 1997 by President Jacques Chirac.

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Ukrainian intel service foils plot to overthrow government

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Russia develops single-use combat drone to intercept enemy UAVs

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US analyst says Biden, Trump misinformed about situation in Ukraine

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Hungarian PM says he arrives in Kiev to help resolve conflict in Ukraine

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Russian official highlights growing threat coming from Ukraine's jet-powered drones

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Designer Gosha Rubchinskiy was seeing him off

Russian military vows to prevent recurrence of Transnistrian conflict

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