France's conservative opposition, struggling to put up a united front ahead of European elections only a few months away, was swept by a new crisis yesterday over a row on how to deal with the far-right National Front.
At stake is the political future of President Jacques Chirac, who has been pushing to return to the spotlight since a right-wing rout in the 1997 general elections. Also in question lies the fate of Mr Philippe Seguin, at the helm of Mr Chirac's party, the Rally for the Republic (RPR).
Mr Seguin also heads a new conservative grouping called Alliance, which aims to give a new face to the three big right-wing parties. Though still without a united policy, Alliance had hoped to see a new swing in its fortunes in the June poll to the European Parliament by presenting a united list grouping the RPR, the centre-right Union for French Democracy (UDF) and the laissez-faire Liberal Democracy (LD).
But the future of the group is now in the balance after the UDF clashed with its partners this weekend by refusing any dealings with the National Front. The row erupted during a vote for the important Rhone-Alpes regional assembly.
After two days and nights of bickering and backroom bargaining, a UDF candidate for the assembly's presidency, Ms Anne-Marie Comparini, won the vote with the unusual help of the left.
The alternative to Ms Comparini was an LD member, Mr Pierre Gascon, who faces charges of corruption and would have been elected with votes from the National Front.