Macron weakened at home and abroad as an early French election gives the far right momentum

PARIS (AP) — President Emmanuel Macron once appeared as a bold, young leader offering to revive France through radical pro-business, pro-European policies, leaving voters with “no reason anymore” to vote for the extremes.

Seven years after he was first elected, his call for an early election weakens him at home and abroad, while the far right appears to be propelling to the verge of power. Macron, who has a presidential mandate until 2027, has said he won't step down before the end of his term.

Yet the prospect of a defeat in parliamentary elections means he may have to share power with a prime minister from a rival political party, possibly far-right National Rally's president Jordan Bardella.

Macron announced the surprise vote earlier in June, after his centrist alliance suffered a crushing defeat in European Union elections.

He argued his alliance has not held a parliamentary majority since 2022, even while having the most seats. The situation forced him into political maneuvering to pass bills.

Voters in the two-round ballot on Sunday and July 7 are to choose who they'll send to the National Assembly, leading to the formation of a new government.

Macron defeated National Rally leader Marine Le Pen twice in presidential elections, in 2017 and 2022.

Moments after his first victory, then age 39, he slowly walked to the stage in the courtyard of the Louvre Museum in Paris to the sound of the European anthem, “Ode to Joy.” There he declared of Le Pen's voters: “I will do everything … so that they don’t have any reason anymore to vote for the extremes.”

Macron’s centrist political startup that he promoted then as “neither right- nor left-wing” crushed traditional rivals, the Socialist Party and the conservative Republicans.

In 2022, as he defeated Le Pen again but with a smaller margin, Macron acknowledged French people voted “not to support my ideas, but rather to block those of the far right.”

Now, his centrist alliance’s existence is under threat. Polls show top contenders in the parliamentary race are mostly candidates from the far right and the broad left-wing coalition, the New Popular Front.

Former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe recently said Macron “has killed the presidential majority.”

Early Friday, following an EU summit in Brussels, Macron justified his decision to dissolve the National Assembly.

“It was indispensable to ask (voters) for a clarification. And I don’t think we can pursue ambitious policies without involving the people,” he said.

Asked about a National Rally lawmaker who argued that dual nationals such as a French-Moroccan former minister shouldn’t be members of the government, Macron answered: “It says a lot about what’s at stake."

He recalled France’s ideals of “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity.”

“Overt racism or antisemitism says something about a profound betrayal of what France is, of its values, of what our Republic is. And that’s something we have to fight with force, and we have to be outraged at," Macron said. "Because it’s not about politics, it’s not just about a vote. It’s about the very possibility of living together.”

“I’ll never give up" on fighting the far right "whatever is happening,” Macron said.

Asked whether he discussed French elections with Macron, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in Brussels that “it would be very strange if I wouldn’t speak to my friend Emmanuel Macron about it. That’s what we do."

Scholz, who belongs to the center-left Social Democrats, added: "Of course I hope that, for example, parties that are politically closer to me do better than others. … We shouldn’t anticipate the result.”

Macron argued in a news conference earlier this month that his economic achievements speak for themselves. Unemployment has fallen from over 10% to 7.5% and France has been ranked the most attractive European country for foreign investment in recent years.

Yet his time in office has been marred by major turbulence, from the yellow vest protests against perceived social and economic injustice to the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the 2023 riots triggered by the deadly police shooting of a teen.

Whatever the outcome, Macron's move to call snap elections already leaves France weakened on the European stage, according to Lisa Thomas-Darbois, deputy director of France studies at the Paris-based Institut Montaigne think tank.

It "has provoked a certain amount of fear on the part of our European and international partners,” she said. “We can see that, just in terms of our interest rates on the financial markets, our credibility is somewhat diminished.”

“Is it because we’re potentially facing a political deadlock for a year? Or is it because we potentially could have the National Rally in power? We can’t really say at this stage," she said. “What is certain is that the National Rally’s stance is not likely to be reassuring in terms of France’s image in the years to come."

AP writers Ella Joyner in Brussels and Masha Macpherson in Paris contributed to this story.

FILE - Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right National Front party, arrives at the Eurosatory Defense and security exhibition, Wednesday, June 19, 2024 in Villepinte, north of Paris. The perspective of a defeat in parliamentary elections mean he may have to share power with a prime minister from rival political party — that could possibly be far-right National Rally's president Jordan Bardella. Macron defeated twice the National Rally's leader Marine Le Pen in the presidential election, both in 2017 and 2022.( AP Photo/Michel Euler, File)

FILE - French President Emmanuel Macron, right, meets French far-right Rassemblement National (National Rally) leader Marine Le Pen at the Elysee Palace on June 21, 2022 in Paris. The perspective of a defeat in parliamentary elections mean he may have to share power with a prime minister from rival political party — that could possibly be far-right National Rally's president Jordan Bardella. Macron defeated twice the National Rally's leader Marine Le Pen in the presidential election, both in 2017 and 2022. (Ludovic Marin/Pool photo via AP, File)

FILE - French President Emmanuel Macron, right, speaks with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a round table meeting at an EU summit in Brussels, Thursday, June 27, 2024. Emmanuel Macron once appeared as a bold, young leader offering to revive France through radical pro-business, pro-European policies so that voters have "no reason anymore" to vote for the extremes. Seven years after he was first elected, his call for snap elections weakens him at home and abroad, while it appears to propel the far right on the verge of power. (Olivier Hoslet, Pool Photo via AP, File)

File - French President Emmanuel Macron reacts as he delivers his speech during the opening session of the the African Vaccine Manufacturing Accelerator conference, Thursday, June 20, 2024 in Paris. Emmanuel Macron once appeared as a bold, young leader offering to revive France through radical pro-business, pro-European policies so that voters have "no reason anymore" to vote for the extremes. Seven years after he was first elected, his call for snap elections weakens him at home and abroad, while it appears to propel the far right on the verge of power. (Dylan Martinez/Pool via AP, File)

FILE - French President Emmanuel Macron attends a ceremony at the Croix du Souvenir monument, Tuesday, June 18, 2024 on the Île de Sein, Brittany. Emmanuel Macron once appeared as a bold, young leader offering to revive France through radical pro-business, pro-European policies so that voters have "no reason anymore" to vote for the extremes. Seven years after he was first elected, his call for snap elections weakens him at home and abroad, while it appears to propel the far right on the verge of power. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool, File)

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea launched a ballistic missile off its east coast Monday, South Korea’s military said, a day after the North vowed “offensive and overwhelming” responses to a new U.S. military drill with South Korea and Japan.

The Joint Chiefs of Staff gave no further details, including how far the weapon traveled.

The launch came two days after South Korea, the U.S. and Japan ended their new multidomain trilateral drills in the region. In recent years, the three countries have been expanding their trilateral security partnership to better cope with North Korea’s evolving nuclear threats and China’s increasing assertiveness in the region.

The “Freedom Edge” drill was meant to increase the sophistication of previous exercises with simultaneous air and naval drills geared toward improving joint ballistic-missile defense, anti-submarine warfare, surveillance and other skills and capabilities. The three-day drill involved a U.S. aircraft carrier as well as destroyers, fighter jets and helicopters from the three countries.

On Sunday, North Korea’s Foreign Ministry issued a lengthy statement strongly denouncing the “Freedom Edge” drill, calling it an Asian version of NATO. It said the drill openly destroyed the security environment on the Korean Peninsula and contained a U.S. intention to lay siege to China and exert pressure on Russia.

The statement said North Korea will “firmly defend the sovereignty, security and interests of the state and peace in the region through offensive and overwhelming countermeasures.”

Monday’s launch was the North’s first weapons firing in five days. On Wednesday, North Korea launched what it called a multiwarhead missile in the first known launch of a developmental, advanced weapon meant to defeat U.S. and South Korean missile defenses. North Korea said the launch was successful, but South Korea dismissed the North’s claim as deception to cover up a failed launch.

In recent weeks, North Korea has also floated numerous trash-carrying balloons toward South Korea in what it has described as a tit-for-tat response to South Korean activists sending political leaflets via their own balloons. South Korea responded by briefly resuming its anti-Pyongyang frontline propaganda broadcasts for the first time in years.

In mid-June, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin struck a deal vowing mutual defense assistance if either is attacked. Observers say the pact could embolden Kim to launch more provocations at South Korea. The U.S., South Korea and others believe Pyongyang has been supplying conventional weapons to Russia for its war against Ukraine in return for military and economic assistance.

Meanwhile, North Korea opened a key ruling party meeting Friday to determine what it called “important, immediate issues” related to works to further enhance Korean-style socialism. On the meeting’s second day, North Korea's leader spoke about “some deviations obstructing” efforts to improve the country's economic status and unspecified important tasks for resolving immediate policy issues, North Korea’s state media reported Sunday.

In this photo provided by the U.S. Navy, a U.S. fighter jet takes off from USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier during the Freedom Edge exercise by the U.S., Japanese and South Korea at East Sea on Friday, June 28, 2024. (Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Rashan Jefferson/The U.S. Navy via AP)

In this photo provided by the U.S. Navy, a U.S. fighter jet prepares to take off from USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier during the Freedom Edge exercise by the U.S., Japanese and South Korea at East Sea on Friday, June 28, 2024. (Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Rashan Jefferson/The U.S. Navy via AP)

FILE - The Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71), a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier is anchored in Busan, South Korea, on June 22, 2024. The newly-inaugurated Freedom Edge exercise is wrapping up in the East China Sea, having brought together Japanese, South Korean and American naval assets for multi-domain maneuvers for the first time.(Song Kyung-Seok/Pool Photo via AP, File)