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French Left candidates fail to unite before election

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Candidate for the French left\'s presidential election, Benoit Hamon, center, speaks to journalists next to former presidential candidate for the Green Party Europe-Ecologie-Les Verts (EELV) Yannick Jadot, left, as they meet unionists of the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) at a fast-food restaurant, in Paris, Monday, Feb. 27, 2017. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PARIS – The two main left-leaning candidates in France’s presidential election won’t join forces after all.

Socialist Benoit Hamon and Jean-Luc Melenchon, a former member of the Socialist Party who is supported by the Communists, both announced over the weekend that they are staying in the race.

Despite opinion polls suggesting that neither one has a chance of reaching the second round, they have shown little appetite for joining forces since Hamon won the Socialist primary last month.

Speaking on France Inter radio on Monday, Hamon said: “I would have preferred a union around my candidacy.”

Melenchon issued a statement saying they could not put aside their differences but agreed on a “mutual respect code” throughout their campaigns.

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