More than 50 French parliamentary candidates beaten up as key vote looms which could see the formation of France's first hard-right government since World War II
More than 50 French parliamentary candidates and activists have been attacked in the run up to tomorrow's final round of voting in a high-stakes election.
French interior minister Gerald Darmanin said his ministry has registered 51 verbal and physical attacks against candidates, their deputies or supporters during campaigning for the parliamentary elections.
Several attacks were 'extremely serious', Mr Darmanin added. At least 30 suspects 'with extremely varied backgrounds' have been arrested, he said, adding that their victims were also from across the political spectrum.
'National Rally's candidates were violently attacked, as were Left-wing candidates,' Mr Darmanin said.
French Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin speaking in Paris, France on July 5, 2024
Demonstrators gather in Place de la Republique, to protest against the rising right-wing movement after the Rassemblement National's victory in the first round of early general elections in Paris, France on June 30, 2024
Tensions are high as Left-wing and moderate groups try to prevent the anti-immigration, nationalist National Rally from winning an absolute legislative majority after French president Emmanuel Macron called the snap election.
The National Rally, under party president Jordan Bardella, secured the most votes in the first round of the legislative elections on June 30 but not enough to claim an overall victory that would allow the formation of France's first hard-right government since World War II.
Darmanin said 30,000 police officers will be deployed on Sunday, including 5,000 in the Paris region, to ensure that the results of the election 'are respected whatever they may be.' He said gatherings outside of the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, have been banned.
A group called the Antifascist Action Paris-Suburbs called for a protest outside the National Assembly on Sunday night as results come in.
Protesters take part during the demonstration in Paris against the hard right following the results of the French legislative elections, which saw the Rassemblement National party win the first round
Many people have voiced concerns that the surge in voter support for the anti-immigrant National Rally has made people feel more comfortable using racist, xenophobic and antisemitic language in public.
The government agency tallying racist acts did not have recent data since the brief campaign began.
Candidates have complained of both hate speech and physical violence during the campaign.
Government spokesperson Prisca Thevenot, who is a candidate for the centrist Ensemble alliance led by President Emmanuel Macron, said she and a deputy and a party activist were putting up election posters in Meudon near Paris on Wednesday night when a group attacked them. Thevenot's deputy and the party activist were taken to a hospital.
Macron called the surprise legislative election on June 9 after his alliance suffered a punishing defeat at the hands of the National Rally in French voting for the European Parliament, plunging the country into a sudden legislative campaign.