Candidates in pivotal French legislative elections drop out in tactical move ahead of final vote

Paris - As France prepares for a decisive second-round vote Sunday, political parties from all persuasions are scrambling to secure seats in the National Assembly. However, more than 200 candidates - mostly from left and centrist parties - have dropped out in a tactical move to block the far right.

Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN) party and its allies led the first round vote with 33.4%. However, after the significant number of withdrawals to avoid splitting the vote against the far right, it's unlikely the RN can secure an absolute majority in this second round and form a government.

The RN is anti-immigration and has been accused of being antisemitic and anti-Muslim. It wants to roll back the power of the European Union in France and has threatened to pull the country out of the U.S.-led NATO military alliance.