French President Emmanuel Macron warned that the ideologies of his far-right and hard-left rivals could spark a civil war in the country, as they prepare to hold snap elections.
In the podcast "Generation Do It Yourself," Macron said that the far-right RN party "divides and pushes towards civil war." He also said that the hard-left France Unbowed party proposes "a form of communitarianism," adding that "civil war follows on from that too."
Meanwhile, French far-right leader Jordan Bardella said Monday his party was ready to govern as he pledged to curb immigration and tackle cost-of-living issues ahead of the country's most divisive election in decades.
France was plunged into turmoil by Macron calling snap legislative elections after his centrist party was trounced by the far-right National Rally (RN) in a European vote.
Weekend polls suggested the RN would win 35-36% in the first round on Sunday, ahead of a left-wing alliance on 27-29.5% and Macron's centrists in third on 19.5-22%.
"In three words: we are ready," Bardella, the 28-year-old RN president told a press conference as he unveiled his party's program.
Bardella, credited with helping the RN clean up its extremist image, has urged voters to give the eurosceptic party an outright majority to allow it to implement its anti-immigration, law-and-order program.
"Seven long years of Macronism has weakened the country," he said, vowing to boost purchasing power, "restore order" and change the law to make it easier to deport foreigners convicted of crimes.
