FRANCE’S left-wing parties agreed late on Monday to form a new alliance after President Emmanuel Macron announced snap national elections following his party’s crushing defeat by the far right in the European Union vote on Sunday.

In light of the European polls, politicians on the left are focused on closing ranks to prevent a win for the National Rally that could result in the French far right leading a government for the first time since World War II.

The alliance — which includes the Greens, the Socialists, the Communists and Jean-Luc Melenchon’s France Unbowed —  has for now vowed not to join forces with Mr Macron’s supposed centrists.