Marine Le Pen’s Party Leads in French Elections, Macron’s Party Falls to Third

France’s Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) party has taken the lead in the first round of French parliamentary elections, leaving President Emmanuel Macron’s party in third place.

Initial Projections

Initial estimates by IPSOS show the far-right alliance, headed by the National Rally (RN), in first with 34% of the vote. The left-wing alliance is in second with 28.1%, while Macron’s party trails in third with 20.3%.

Seat Projections

Projections suggest that after the second round of voting next Sunday, the RN would win between 230 and 280 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly, falling short of the 289 required for an absolute majority. The left-wing alliance, the New Popular Front (NFP), would have between 125 and 165 seats, while Macron’s Ensemble and its allies would have between 70 and 100 seats.

Election Details

The voting commenced at 8 am local time on Sunday to elect the 577 members of the National Assembly. This election follows a significant setback for Macron’s Renaissance party in the recent European Parliament elections, where the RN emerged victorious. Macron opted for the snap election, the first in France since 1997, acknowledging the electorate’s message.

Regardless of the election’s outcome, Macron has committed to serving until the next presidential election in 2027. The electoral process involves two rounds: the current first round, which narrows down the field, and a subsequent round where candidates compete for the majority needed to secure parliamentary seats. Candidates must secure more than 12.5% of the vote to advance to the second round.