France Votes in Second Round of Snap Parliamentary Elections
Paris [France], July 7: Voting has begun in France for the second round of the snap parliamentary election called by President Emmanuel Macron. The election aims to elect 577 members of the National Assembly, with 289 seats needed for a party to hold an absolute majority.
In the outgoing parliament, President Macron’s alliance had only 250 seats, requiring support from other parties to pass laws. Polls are open from 8am to 8pm (local time) on Sunday, with full results expected early Monday.
Far-Right National Rally Leads
The far-right National Rally (RN), led by 28-year-old Jordan Bardella under Marine Le Pen, is closer to power than ever after leading in the first round of voting. The RN won 33% of the popular vote in the first round. The newly formed left-wing coalition, the New Popular Front (NFP), secured second place with 28% of the votes, while Macron’s Ensemble alliance came third with 21% of the votes.
Political Bargaining and Run-Offs
Ensemble and the NFP have taken action to prevent the first far-right government in France since World War II. Hundreds of candidates stood down in some seats to deny the RN an absolute majority. Only those who secured over 12.5% of the votes in the first round can participate in the second round, often resulting in a two-candidate race. However, this time, over 300 seats are witnessing a three-way run-off, highlighting France’s polarization.
Over 200 candidates from Macron’s alliance and the NFP agreed to stand down in the second round to avoid splitting the anti-far-right vote. The RN’s strong performance in the first round suggests it could more than triple the 88 seats it held in the outgoing parliament.
Potential Outcomes
Although it is customary for the French president to appoint a Prime Minister from the largest party, Bardella has stated he will refuse to form a minority government. In that case, Macron might have to search for a Prime Minister from the hard left or form a technocratic government.
France was not scheduled to hold parliamentary elections until 2027, but Macron called the snap elections after his party was defeated by the RN in the European Parliament elections in June. Macron wanted to clarify the situation and expose the RN to government responsibilities, hoping it would lose its appeal once in office. However, this gamble could backfire if the RN declines to form a minority government.
