In a major upheaval in the French election, centrist and left-wing candidates have joined forces to halt Marine Le Pen's National Rally from assuming power for the first time. As the race intensifies, over 200 candidates from both the left-wing alliance and President Emmanuel Macron's centrist coalition have withdrawn from the contest, in an effort to consolidate support for the remaining contenders with the best chance of defeating Le Pen's nationalists. The outcome of the second round vote on Sunday now hangs in the balance, as this strategic maneuver could determine whether France will experience a far-right government for the first time in its modern history.

The decision to withdraw candidacies has sparked division within the presidential camp since the first round of voting. Despite calls from both Macron and Prime Minister Gabriel Attal for a large number of pullouts, some political heavyweights have refused to comply. This unexpected turn of events follows Macron's surprise announcement to dissolve parliament for a snap vote after the far right's triumph in the European Union election last month, throwing French politics into disarray.

Under normal circumstances, the French electoral system does not produce such complexity. However, this time around, more than 300 constituencies have three or more candidates qualifying for the second round runoff. Typically, these include representatives from the far right, the left alliance, and Macron's centrist bloc. Consequently, deliberations behind closed doors have been ongoing among candidates and party officials, as they weigh the decision to drop out and unite behind the anti-Le Pen vote. This critical deadline saw numerous withdrawals by candidates, ultimately reducing the number of districts with three remaining contenders to less than 100.

Initial results from the first round of voting placed Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party in the lead, followed by the left-wing alliance, with Macron's centrist coalition trailing behind in third place. Subsequently, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the de facto leader of the left-wing alliance, called on third-place finishers from his camp to withdraw from local races in order to prevent the National Rally from gaining ground. Prime Minister Attal echoed a similar message, emphasizing the importance of strategic withdrawal when standing could potentially lead to the election of the National Rally.

Despite the official line, the Macron camp has struggled to maintain unity. Key figures within the centrist coalition have refused to rally behind far-left candidates whose platform advocates for substantial public spending in a country already burdened with debt. Macron himself has heavily criticized the policies of the New Popular Front alliance, portraying them as detrimental and "grotesque" for France. Additionally, opponents have accused the far left of advocating spending policies that could drive France towards bankruptcy, and have criticized France Unbowed for its strong opposition to Israel's actions in Gaza, leading to accusations of antisemitism.

On the other hand, the far-right National Rally has faced criticism for its perceived lack of preparedness for governance, incoherent economic policies, and divisive stance on immigration. Economy and Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, although not running for re-election, has stated his disapproval of voting for France Unbowed, even when faced with a runoff against a National Rally candidate.

As the French election continues to unfold in an unprecedented manner, the second round of voting on July 7 will reveal the impact of these strategic withdrawals on the final outcome. The race remains highly uncertain, leaving France on the brink of potentially electing a far-right government or maintaining the status quo with a centrist or left-wing alliance in power.