Joint declaration by the European Greens, the Party of European Socialists, the European Left and the EFA

After the first round of the French elections, there is a real risk of the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) obtaining an absolute majority in the French Assemblée Nationale. This threatens not only French democracy but also the future of the European Union.

The French progressive parties have come together and joined forces in Le Nouveau Front Populaire (New Popular Front), to block the far right from gaining power. This shows the sense of responsibility and commitment that France's progressive, Green and left parties feel for their country. The Front Populaire stands for a greener, fairer, more socially just and more democratic society that respects workers' rights and the diversity of its territories.

As European political parties, we support our member parties in the Nouveau Front Populaire and the broad platform that they represent. 

The rise of the far right in both the European and French elections has sent shock waves through our democratic institutions. We call on all political parties to respect the cordon sanitaire, the firewall against the far right at all political levels. We call on all French parties to ask their voters, in every constituency where a RN member could be elected, to vote for the best placed candidate to beat him or her. 

We call on every individual who wants France to remain a free and democratic society to go to the polls on 7 July. Each person's vote has the power to influence the historic outcome of the second round. Voting for the Nouveau Front Populaire will help to defend human and social rights and preserve the democratic freedom of the people in a socially just and sustainable France and Europe.