Editorial: Le Monde

• Tensions between the right and the extreme right are escalating, leading to Eric Ciotti, president of The Republicans (LR), suggesting an alliance with the National Rally to maintain a strong group in the National Assembly.
• Ciotti, inheritor of the Gaullist party, is deviating from party principles, which have traditionally maintained a boundary with the National Rally due to their rejection of foreigners.
• Ciotti's proposal could help Marine Le Pen destabilize LR and take over its elected members.
• Despite the indignation of key LR figures like Gerard Larcher, Bruno Retailleau, Michel Barnier, and Laurent Wauquiez, Ciotti is holding onto his position.
• Over the last two years, LR has lost influence and bargaining power, in part due to its own divisions, hostility towards Macron, and a shift towards immigration, security, and national identity issues.

Conclusion: If LR and National Rally form an alliance, this could have a significant impact on the political landscape, providing the left with an opportunity to unify and mobilize, and potentially shrinking the center if it cannot find a solution. The dissolution of the National Assembly has unleashed upheavals whose implications are not yet clear.

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