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| French elections: centrist Bayrou offers alliance with Macron | French elections: centrist Bayrou offers alliance with Macron |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Heavyweight centrist François Bayrou, the eternal “third man” of French politics, has surprised his supporters by offering to stand in an alliance with Emmanuel Macron in April’s presidential elections. | Heavyweight centrist François Bayrou, the eternal “third man” of French politics, has surprised his supporters by offering to stand in an alliance with Emmanuel Macron in April’s presidential elections. |
| Bayrou said the country was at “extreme risk” and needed what he described as an exceptional response. | |
| After weeks of suspense, Bayrou, 65, president of the Democratic Movement (MoDem) and a veteran of the last three presidential elections, had been expected to announce that he would join the 2017 race. | After weeks of suspense, Bayrou, 65, president of the Democratic Movement (MoDem) and a veteran of the last three presidential elections, had been expected to announce that he would join the 2017 race. |
| Instead, he launched into what he said was “possibly a project of abnegation”. | Instead, he launched into what he said was “possibly a project of abnegation”. |
| “I have two paths, to stand myself or to look for an unusual solution,” he told a press conference. “I have decided to offer Emmanuel Macron an alliance. | “I have two paths, to stand myself or to look for an unusual solution,” he told a press conference. “I have decided to offer Emmanuel Macron an alliance. |
| “I have examined for several weeks all the elements allowing me to judge our country and I want to say at what point the seriousness of the situation has hit me. Never in the 50 years past has the democracy in France known such a situation.” | “I have examined for several weeks all the elements allowing me to judge our country and I want to say at what point the seriousness of the situation has hit me. Never in the 50 years past has the democracy in France known such a situation.” |
| He went on to outline his conditions for such an alliance with Macron, whom he described as “brilliant”. | He went on to outline his conditions for such an alliance with Macron, whom he described as “brilliant”. |
| “The aim of this alliance will be to give hope [to the French people],” he said. | “The aim of this alliance will be to give hope [to the French people],” he said. |
| Bayrou, who was an education minister in a centre-right government in the 1990s, said he was aware this path would disappoint some supporters, but he had decided to be “generous and open”. | Bayrou, who was an education minister in a centre-right government in the 1990s, said he was aware this path would disappoint some supporters, but he had decided to be “generous and open”. |
| He said he had spoken to Macron a week ago and insisted it should be an “alliance” and not a subjugation of all the centre stood for. | He said he had spoken to Macron a week ago and insisted it should be an “alliance” and not a subjugation of all the centre stood for. |
| More soon … | More soon … |