- France’s far right celebrates lead in snap election
- National Rally (RN) secured 33.1% of the vote, followed by a left-wing alliance with 28%, and Macron’s party with 20.76%
- It’s the first time the far right has led in a French parliamentary election
- Le Pen is aiming for an absolute majority of 289 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly
- The voter turnout was 66.7%, the highest for a first round since 1997
- The second phase of voting takes place next Sunday
France’s far right celebrates lead and seeks majority
France’s far-right party, the National Rally (RN), led by Marine Le Pen, has taken the lead in the first round of parliamentary elections. Le Pen’s supporters celebrated as she declared that President Macron’s party had been nearly eliminated.
RN secured 33.1% of the vote, followed by a left-wing alliance with 28%, and Macron’s party with 20.76%.
It’s the first time the far right has led in a French parliamentary election.
Le Pen and Jordan Bardella – the 28-year-old party leader are aiming for an absolute majority of 289 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly. However, projections for the second round suggest they might not reach this goal. Without a majority, France could have a hung parliament, limiting RN’s ability to implement its policies on immigration, tax cuts, and law enforcement.
President Macron called this election after RN’s success in the European elections, hoping it was the responsible choice. However, the gamble now risks disrupting the political landscape, with 10.6 million people voting for RN and some conservatives supporting them.
The voter turnout was 66.7%, the highest for a first round since 1997. So far, 37 RN MPs have been elected, alongside 32 from the left-wing New Popular Front.
In response to RN’s success, hundreds of left-wing voters protested in Paris. President Macron urged for a “broad, clearly democratic and republican alliance for the second round”.
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