Former French President François Hollande Announces Political Comeback Amidst Far-Right Rise

French politician François Hollande has announced his intention to make a political comeback by running as a candidate in the parliamentary elections for the Corrèze department. Despite serving as president between 2012 and 2017, Hollande did not seek re-election after completing his term. However, he has now described his decision to return to politics as “exceptional” given the current political situation.

The former president’s announcement to run has received a lukewarm response from his own Parti Socialiste, with a party official acknowledging his intentions without much enthusiasm. It is worth noting that it is not uncommon for former French presidents to run in parliamentary elections, with Valery Giscard d’Estaing successfully doing so in the 1980s after losing a presidential election. Whether Hollande will be able to secure a seat in parliament remains to be seen, as French citizens are set to go to the polls on June 30 and July 7.

The decision to hold parliamentary elections was made by current president Emmanuel Macron following a strong performance by Marine Le Pen’s right-wing nationalist RN party in the European elections. The RN party is currently leading in the polls for the parliamentary elections, which could have far-reaching implications for French politics and society as a whole. Hollande has expressed his support for a potential alliance of leftist parties aiming to prevent the far right from gaining power, but whether this will be successful remains uncertain at best.