Over 200 opponents of France's National Rally (RN) party on Tuesday withdrew as candidates from next Sunday's second round of voting as they seek a socalled "republican front" against the farright.

President Emmanuel Macron's centrists and the broad New Popular Front leftwing grouping hope to stop the farright from taking power in the lower house of parliament after it won roughly 33 percent of the vote at the first round last Sunday.

The tactical withdrawals are intended to avoid splitting the vote against Le Pen's party. It's a tactic that has been employed repeatedly against the farright in France in the past, most frequently with leftwing voters turning out to back rightwing and centrist candidates in order to block rivals from the National Rally and its predecessor the National Front.

00:00 Macron's centrists and leftwing coalition unite to block farright
01:06 Journalist Cole Stangler speaks to DW from Marseille
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04:27 DW's Rosie Birchard explains more from Brussels
08:48 What would a National Rally win mean for EU?
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