French President Emmanuel Macron ruled out resigning, whatever the result of the snap elections he called to combat the rise of the far-right National Rally (RN), in an interview published on Tuesday.
“It is not the RN that writes the constitution, nor the spirit of it,” he told Figaro Magazine when asked what he would do if the RN won the legislative elections on June 30 and July 7 and called for his resignation.
“The institutions are clear, the place of the president is clear, and it is also clear whatever the result,” he added.
He said he was prepared to again debate the RN’s Marine Le Pen, against whom he ran in the second round of the last two presidential elections.
“Of course! I’m ready to wear our colours and defend our project,” he told the magazine on Monday afternoon.
Macron scoffed at a question about whether he was “crazy” to dissolve parliament and call for elections at such short notice.
“I am thinking only of France. It was the right decision, in the interest of the country,” he said.
“And I say to the French: ‘Don’t be scared, go and vote’.”
After losing his majority in parliament following his re-election for a second term in 2022, the president told Figaro Magazine he would be prepared to “hold out a hand to all those who are ready to come and govern”, without providing more details.
Macron called for the snap elections after his centrist alliance was crushed by the far right in elections for the European Parliament on Sunday.
Polls had predicted the defeat, and now again show the RN leading for the upcoming legislative vote.
“I have never believed in polls,” Macron said.
“A new campaign is beginning and we must not look at the scores by constituency in terms of those of the European elections.”
