A new French centrist alliance has been launched aimed at taking votes from the left and right to build a strong foothold in the European parliament next year, capitalising on frustration with the president, François Hollande, reports The Guardian.
The alliance, to be called the Alternative, brings together rival veterans of centrist politics François Bayrou and Jean-Louis Borloo, who split in 2012 when the former endorsed Socialist Hollande and the latter conservative Nicolas Sarkozy.
With a limited political footprint – just 72 mayors among thousands in towns of more than 10,000 – the new group may struggle to gain ground in municipal elections in March against locally established mainstream parties, analysts say.
But its chances may be better in the European elections in May, when the centrists' resolutely pro-EU outlook will contrast with their broadly euro-sceptic opponents.
"There is room for a pro-European message, which is at the heart of the centrist brand," said Jérôme Fourquet, an analyst at pollster Ifop. "But the European dream is broken … They will need to have strong proposals, like pushing integration further for core eurozone members."
Polls show Hollande's Socialist party losing ground in both elections as frustration over unemployment above 11%, economic stagnation and immigration drives more voters toward Marine Le Pen's far-right National Front party.
Read more of this report from The Guardian.