Leader of party claiming De Gaulle heritage draws ire by allying with far-right
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00:00I think there is a need today to serve the country which is in danger. There is on one
00:05side this unholy alliance with the left France Unbowed Party, who today project extremely
00:11dangerous ideas and notably ideas which spread anti-Semitism. There was this alliance last
00:17night, so there is this big bloc. On the other side there is this Macronist bloc which has
00:22threatened the country today with more violence and insecurity. And then there is a bloc on
00:27the right, a national bloc. The republicans have made sure we have a strong voice, but
00:32today are too weak to oppose the two most dangerous blocs. So we need an alliance while
00:38remaining ourselves and avoiding the dangers of France Unbowed, who tomorrow could have
00:42a majority. So we need an alliance.
00:46That announcement you just heard came as a shock to many in the mainstream conservative
00:50party and some party officials said they felt betrayed. France 21st's Clovis Casali has
00:55more on the reaction to this unprecedented move.
01:00Turmoil and divisions running deep at Les RĂ©publicains. This after the shock announcement
01:06by Eric Ciotti, the boss of this centre-right party, that he wanted to form an alliance
01:12with Marine Le Pen, the National Rally, and the French far right. This has infuriated,
01:19angered many party heavyweights, notably the former Brexit negotiator and former minister
01:26Michel Barnier. Take a listen.
01:30I've just come from the Republicans' offices where we've had no meetings and no dialogue
01:34with Eric Ciotti since the European election. So what he said today, he said alone, on his
01:41own. He doesn't commit the political family to which we belong. And I don't even think
01:46that he has the legitimacy to speak on behalf of our political family.
01:53Eric Ciotti believes it's a necessity to form this alliance with the National Rally. Given
01:58the disappointing results in recent years, notably around 7% of the votes in the last
02:03year elections, Eric Ciotti believes that Marine Le Pen is the best ally in order to
02:08govern and push his policies. On the other hand, for the French far right movement, it's
02:14a sweet victory. Marine Le Pen has always tried to attract figures from the right wing,
02:20from mainstream parties. This, in order to appear as a normal, if you will, party, one
02:26fit to govern.