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Massive participation is essential for Nupes to win in the second round of the legislatives
Next Sunday we will know if France will take a new political direction with Jean-Luc Melenchon as prime minister, writes MARY ADOSSIDES
A banner reading "vote nupes" featuring French far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon is pictured in Marseille, southern France, Friday, June 10, 2022.

IT IS with trepidation that the French left is waiting for the outcome of the second round of the legislative elections next Sunday, June 19.

Nupes, the new left coalition which stands for Nouvelle Union Populaire Ecologique et Sociale (New Social and Ecological People’s Union) is challenging President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist bloc Ensemble! (Together). 

Following his 22 per cent score in April’s presidential contest, Jean-Luc Melenchon’s score rose in this first round of the legislatives, giving him a slight lead of 26.6 per cent over Macron’s 25.20 per cent.

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