France has a record number of presidential hopefuls. Will any of them be able to hold back the far right?
Key takeaways
- At a gathering this week, leftwing voters came together to call for unity in order to tackle the rise of the far right in France.
- Angelique Chrisafis in Paris Sat 9 May 2026 06.00 BSTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleAt a Paris meeting hall this week, hundreds of leftwing voters braved a rainstorm to gather chanting: “Unity!
- They were celebrating the 90th anniversary of France’s Popular Front, a leftwing alliance that was formed in the 1930s amid fears that the far right could take power.
Why this matters: a developing story that could shape the day's news cycle.
At a gathering this week, leftwing voters came together to call for unity in order to tackle the rise of the far right in France. Photograph: Bastien Ohier/Hans Lucas/AFP/Getty Images View image in fullscreen At a gathering this week, leftwing voters came together to call for unity in order to tackle the rise of the far right in France. Photograph: Bastien Ohier/Hans Lucas/AFP/Getty Images France France has a record number of presidential hopefuls. Will any of them be able to hold back the far right?About 30 people – nearly all men – have expressed an interest in taking on the far-right National Rally in next year’s ballot
Angelique Chrisafis in Paris Sat 9 May 2026 06.00 BSTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleAt a Paris meeting hall this week, hundreds of leftwing voters braved a rainstorm to gather chanting: “Unity! Unity!”
They were celebrating the 90th anniversary of France’s Popular Front, a leftwing alliance that was formed in the 1930s amid fears that the far right could take power. But their concerns were more immediate.