Gozi: ‘Le Pen does not break through, Macron has won the bet’

Interview with Niccolò Carratelli in La Stampa, 1 July 2024

Sandro Gozi seems to be breathing a (cautious) sigh of relief. In the end, Le Pen did not break through and Macron won his bet,’ says the MEP re-elected in France, who is ready to return to Strasbourg in the liberal Renew group. Now, in the second round, ‘there is a real possibility of preventing the National Rally from obtaining an absolute majority by forming an alliance for the Republic in Parliament’. Will the numbers allow it? First of all, the numbers say that there has been a republican awakening in France, with a very high turnout, the like of which has not been seen for over 30 years. It is an important moment for French democracy and a confirmation that Macron has chosen the right path. We will have to see how it goes in a week’s time… ‘We must work to build alliances between republicans and democrats, make an assessment constituency by constituency and find a desistance agreement to converge on the most competitive candidate to beat the far right. We are prepared to withdraw our candidates if necessary. After all, in the first round we withdrew our candidates in 60 constituencies for the same reason. Those who come third and have less chance of winning should step aside. That won’t be possible everywhere, will it? It is clear that for us and above all for our voters, beyond our indications, some far-left Mélenchon and pro-Hamas candidates are investable.