French left runs divided, weakened in presidential race

PARIS (AP) — The French left runs divided and weakened in the presidential race as at least five main candidates rejected any alliance with each other — and an online vote meant to pick a leader Sunday appears doomed to fail.

The so-called Popular Primary has been organized by left-wing supporters as an initiative meant to unite their ranks before the election scheduled in two rounds on April 10 and 24.

More than 460,000 people registered for the primary. Results of the four-day online vote are expected on Sunday evening. But the move already appears bound to fail: key contenders said they wouldn't respect the outcome because they don't respect the process.

At least five main figures from the left and the far-left are running for president, in addition to smaller candidates. At the moment, none of them appears in a position to reach the runoff in April’s election.

Centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who doesn’t hide his intention to run for reelection, is considered the front-runner. Conservative candidate Valérie Pécresse and two far-right figures, Marine le Pen and Eric Zemmour, are the main challengers according to polls, placing far-left candidate Jean-Luc Melenchon in fifth position.

Melenchon — a political firebrand with a notorious temper — refuses to form a united front with other left-wing candidates. The 70-year-old politician, who heads the “Rebel France” party, promised to guarantee jobs for everyone, raise the minimum wage, lower the retirement age to 60 and hike taxes on multinationals and rich households.

The Greens’ contender, Yannick Jadot, 54, and the Socialist candidate, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, 62, also rejected the idea to run together despite a formerly traditional alliance between their parties. Another candidate, Fabien Roussel, 52, is...