Chaos on French right as Macron snap poll reshapes politics [Video]

French right-wing parties were mired by infighting Thursday as campaigning intensified for snap elections called by President Emmanuel Macron, but his government faces a more unified challenge from the left.

Coming just two years after he failed to secure a majority in parliament to buttress his second presidential term, Macron’s gamble on early polls risks strengthening the far-right National Rally (RN) and has sparked meltdown among traditional conservatives.

Eric Ciotti of the mainstream right Republicans party announced a surprise alliance with the RN this week, which prompted the rest of the leadership team to vote him out Wednesday.

But on Thursday Ciotti insisted he was still party leader, dismissing the effort to oust him as “quibbles, little battles by mediocre people… who understand nothing about what’s going on in the country”, adding that it was legally void.

“I’m president of the party, I’m going to my office and that’s it,” …