Editorial: Le Monde

• The party Les Républicains (LR) and the Rassemblement national (RN) appear to be converging politically.
• Personalities from LR have been cutting the cord that once separated these two parties.
• The vice president of LR, François-Xavier Bellamy, voted for a motion of censure against Ursula von der Leyen that was drafted by Patriots for Europe, the group to which RN belongs.
• The lines between these two parties are getting blurred when it comes to issues like immigration and ecology.
• The president of LR legitimized some ideas defended by proponents of a 'union of the right,' thereby contributing to the de-demonization of the far right.
• The voter base for RN seems to be growing, especially among retirees.
• The risk of this merging is that it may make voting for RN more acceptable among voters who were previously averse to doing so.

Conclusion: There is a growing convergence between the LR and the RN in political and ideological terms that can be dangerous in terms of broadening the appeal of the far right.

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