The News
France’s prime minister sparked a political row after saying the country fears being “flooded” by migrants.
François Bayrou’s remarks were, France 24 said, “clearly an effort… to pander to the anti-immigration, far-right National Rally,” which is riding high in opinion polls.
Bayrou is relying on support from the National Rally to pass a budget; similarly, in Germany, a center-right party recently leaned on backing from the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany.
European centrist parties are trying to curb support for nationalist groups by courting disaffected voters, but risk “normalising their extreme policies,” The Irish Times’ Europe correspondent warned.
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