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The leader of France's main right-wing party on Tuesday backed an alliance with the far right of Marine Le Pen in snap legislative elections, triggering a crisis within his own party and fury from the government. While Republicans leader Eric Ciotti's announcement came as a shock to many, Associate Professor in French History and Politics at the Faculty of Arts Paul Smith said it was an "accident waiting to happen". “This has been a slow train coming, there is a part of the Republicans that feel closer to the National Rally”, Smith said.