French President Emmanuel Macron right accompanies French former President Nicolas Sarkozy left after a meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris on February 25, 2022. LUDOVIC MARIN AFP PARIS French President Emmanuel Macron denied on Wednesday that there was a wider political agreement with former conservative President Nicolas Sarkozy over his endorsement of Macron ahead of a second round of the presidential election on April 24.
Macron told France 2 television that there was no agreement, a day after Sarkozy endorsed him. Macron is facing a tight race against the far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.
Sarkozy's endorsement will help Macron get voters who voted for the conservative candidate Valerie Pecresse in the first round of the election, but it could also deter leftist voters who believe that Macron is as right-wing as Sarkozy.
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Sarkozy, 67, is France's last conservative president and is still seen as an influential figure in the center-right Les Republicains party.
The existence of Les Republicains appears to be under threat after many of its voters backed Macron or Le Pen in Sunday's first round.
Macron said on Wednesday that he was ready to forge new political alliances in order to reform France.
The fractures we have in the country will require me not only to obtain a majority but also to rally all those political forces behind me that don't share my views on all topics, but would be open to working with me on some reforms, Macron said.
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He said that such cross-party arrangements were not suitable for France's presidential political system and that he is not talking about coalitions.