France's Far Right National Rally Still Leading ahead of Election, Poll Shows

An activist of French far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party (L) distributes leaflets as President of the Occitanie regional council Carole Delga (R) arrives to support the candidate of the left wing coalition Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP), in the Cazeres market, near Toulouse, south-western France, on June 22, 2024, ahead of snap elections for a new national assembly on June 30 and July 7, 2024. (Photo by Valentine CHAPUIS / AFP)
An activist of French far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party (L) distributes leaflets as President of the Occitanie regional council Carole Delga (R) arrives to support the candidate of the left wing coalition Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP), in the Cazeres market, near Toulouse, south-western France, on June 22, 2024, ahead of snap elections for a new national assembly on June 30 and July 7, 2024. (Photo by Valentine CHAPUIS / AFP)
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France's Far Right National Rally Still Leading ahead of Election, Poll Shows

An activist of French far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party (L) distributes leaflets as President of the Occitanie regional council Carole Delga (R) arrives to support the candidate of the left wing coalition Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP), in the Cazeres market, near Toulouse, south-western France, on June 22, 2024, ahead of snap elections for a new national assembly on June 30 and July 7, 2024. (Photo by Valentine CHAPUIS / AFP)
An activist of French far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party (L) distributes leaflets as President of the Occitanie regional council Carole Delga (R) arrives to support the candidate of the left wing coalition Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP), in the Cazeres market, near Toulouse, south-western France, on June 22, 2024, ahead of snap elections for a new national assembly on June 30 and July 7, 2024. (Photo by Valentine CHAPUIS / AFP)

France's far right National Rally (RN) party and its allies are seen leading the first round of the country's parliamentary elections with 35.5% of the vote, according to a poll published Sunday.
The Ipsos survey - conducted for Le Parisien newspaper and Radio France on June 19-20 - showed the left-wing New Popular Front (NPF) alliance in second place with 29.5% of the vote, Reuters reported.
President Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance was seen in third place, winning 19.5% of votes.
The turnout rate is seen at between 60 and 64%, which would be much higher than the 47.5% seen at the last general election in June 2022.
The RN's lead in polls ahead of the election that will take place in two rounds, on June 30 and July 7, is unlikely to win the party an absolute majority. Macron called the ballot after his alliance's crushing defeat at EU elections earlier this month.
In a separate Ipsos survey, published by the Financial Times, the National Rally is seen as the most trustworthy when it comes to managing the economy and public finances.
According to the survey, 25% of respondents trust Marine Le Pen's RN the most to take the right decisions on economic issues, versus 22% for the New Popular Front and 20% for Macron's alliance.



White House Withdraws Nomination for US Hostage Envoy

FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo
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White House Withdraws Nomination for US Hostage Envoy

FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Adam Boehler, US President Donald Trump's Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs, addresses the daily coronavirus task force briefing when he was CEO of the US International Development Finance Corporation, in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington, US, April 14, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo/File Photo

The Trump administration has withdrawn the nomination of Adam Boehler to serve as special presidential envoy for hostage affairs, the White House said on Saturday.
Boehler, who has been working to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, will continue hostage-related work as a so-called "special government employee," a position that would not need Senate confirmation.
"Adam Boehler will continue to serve President Trump as a special government employee focused on hostage negotiations," White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement.
"Adam played a critical role in negotiating the return of Marc Fogel from Russia. He will continue this important work to bring wrongfully detained individuals around the world home."
A White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Boehler withdrew his nomination to avoid divesting from his investment company. The move was unrelated to the controversy sparked by his discussions with the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
"He still has the utmost confidence of President Trump," said the official.
"This gives me the best ability to help Americans held abroad as well as work across agencies to achieve President Trump’s objectives," Boehler told Reuters in a brief statement.
Boehler recently held direct meetings with Hamas on the release of hostages in Gaza. The discussions broke with a decades-old policy by Washington against negotiating with groups that the US brands as terrorist organizations.
The talks angered some Senate Republicans and some Israeli leaders. According to Axios, Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs Ron Dermer expressed his displeasure to Boehler in a tense phone call last week.