Marine Le Pen: ‘Democracy has spoken, now we need an absolute win’
Read reactions from President Macron, Jordan Bardella, Eric Ciotti and the left’s Jean Luc Mélenchon and Raphaël Glucksmann to the far-right's projected win in the first round
Jean Luc Mélenchon, President Macron and Marine Le Pen made announcements this evening following the far-right win in the projected results
Victor Velter / photocosmos1 / Shutterstock
Key political figures have spoken following the projected poll win for the far-right Rassemblement National.
Marine Le Pen, parliamentary leader of the Rassemblement National: "Democracy has spoken. The French people have expressed their desire to turn the page after seven years of contemptuous and corrosive government”.
Ms Le Pen, who claimed an outright win in her constituency (Pas-de-Calais), also sought to reassure people alarmed by the rise of the far-right party.
“No French people will lose any rights with us, quite the contrary, we will protect your rights”.
Read more: French election June 30: far right ahead in projected results
She called for an absolute majority for the party so "Jordan Bardella is appointed prime minister by Emmanuel Macron in eight days time.”
President Macron: "Faced with the RN, the time has come for a broad, clearly democratic and republican united front."
Gabriel Attal, current prime minister: "Not a single vote should go to the Rassemblement National."
He also called for the "withdrawal of our candidates whose position in third place would result in the election of a Rassemblement National deputy against another candidate who, like us, defends the values of the Republic".
Raphaël Glucksmann, for the left coalition Place publique, called for a block by other parties against the far-right: "History is watching and judging us."
He described the elections as a "referendum, pure and simple" for whether France wants the RN in power, as no other party can have an absolute majority in the Assemblé.
"For France to remain France, you (the RN) must stay far away from power."
Jean Luc Mélenchon, leader of La France Insoumise and a key member of the Nouveau Front Populaire: “This vote has been a heavy, crushing defeat for the president’s parties.
"One thing is certain tonight: Mr Attal will not remain prime minister.”
Mr Mélenchon also made it clear that his new political alliance would try to block the far right party in the second round of voting on July 7. “If our candidate is running against a Macronist candidate and risks losing, we will withdraw them. We will not let the RN win a single seat.”
Read more: What is France's (Nouveau) Front Populaire and why is it significant?
Jordan Bardella, RN party leader: “The French people have held democracy high and I thank them for their trust. They have made their choice: they want change.
“The vote next Sunday will be the most important in the history of the Fifth Republic between a Nouveau Front Populaire under Jean Luc Mélenchon, and the National Union, which I have the honour of leading, that stands as the last rampart protecting France from the far-left.”
"This Sunday, 7 July, you can choose a responsible political breach".
Eric Ciotti, president of the right-wing Les Républicains, who made an alliance with the RN: "Victory is in sight. The unprecedented and historic union built with Jordan Bardella has put an end to the years of immobility which placed the right in the position of a mere spectator to France's decline."
