France’s ex-PM Edouard Philippe calls for new party to counter far-right

TOURCOING, France - French presidential hopeful Edouard Philippe said on Aug 31 he wanted to bring together the centre and the right and called for the creation of a new political party, as moderates seek to prevent far-right leader Marine Le Pen from coming to power.Seeking to energise his supporters in the northern town of Tourcoing, Philippe, the centre-right former prime minister, said he wanted to create a new party or an alliance of parties ahead of parliamentary elections expected to follow next spring’s presidential vote.With less than eight months until the April-May presidential election, Le Pen, 58, is the front-runner in the polls.“It is about building the governing pact, or the new party, or the new confederation of parties, that will enable all those who want to unite their e