France's far-right National Rally has accused the left of seeking to undermine civil peace should Marine Le Pen win next spring's presidential election, underscoring the increasingly confrontational tone of the campaign. With less than eight months to go before the vote, the 58 year old National Rally leader remains the front runner in most polls.
Jordan Bardella, president of the National Rally, said left wing calls for civil disobedience amounted to an admission of weakness. He argued that these parties were already seeking to undermine civil peace in the country, even before the election itself had taken place.
His comments followed remarks from Mathilde Panot, leader of the France Unbowed parliamentary group, and Greens leader Marine Tondelier, both of whom said they would support some form of civil disobedience in the event of a National Rally victory.
The tense exchange comes as recent surveys suggest Jean-Luc Melenchon, the France Unbowed candidate, may be best placed to face Le Pen in a runoff, ahead of more moderate rivals. The polarization between the far right and part of the left is shaping up to be one of the central fault lines of a presidential campaign already marked by deep divisions over the economy, debt, and pensions.
This account draws on reporting by The Local.