France’s government spokesperson is attacked on the campaign trail, days before decisive election
In the final stretch before France’s high-stakes parliamentary elections Sunday, several candidates have reported being attacked on the campaign trail, including government spokesperson Prisca Thevenot.
PARIS — In the final stretch before France’s high-stakes parliamentary elections Sunday, several candidates have reported being attacked on the campaign trail, including government spokesperson Prisca Thevenot.
The French interior minister said Thursday that 30,000 police officers will be deployed on voting day, including 5,000 in the Paris region. Tensions are high as left-wing and moderate groups try to prevent the anti-immigration, nationalist National Rally from winning an absolute legislative majority, which would be a first and a major historical shift for France.
Candidates have complained of both hate speech and physical violence in the brief and polarizing campaign for the snap elections.
Thevenot, a candidate for the centrist Ensemble alliance led by President Emmanuel Macron, said she and a deputy and a party activist were putting up election posters in Meudon near Paris on Wednesday night when a group attacked them. Thevenot’s deputy and the party activist were taken to a hospital.
’’The symbolic violence of words quickly was replaced by physical violence,″ she told reporters while back on the campaign trail Thursday. ‘’We are still a bit shocked ... I remain mobilized.’’
Rating: 5