France election: Voting underway as far right bids for power
Published July 7, 2024last updated July 7, 2024
What you need to know
- Marine Le Pen's National Rally scored historic gains in the first-round vote on June 30
- Le Pen is confident her RN could win an absolute majority in parliament
- In the first round, 76 lawmakers, mostly from the far-right and left, were elected outright
- President Emmanuel Macron had called the snap elections three years ahead of time
Runoff vote shows increased turnout compared to 2022
Voter turnout stood at 26.63% by midday in France's legislative election, according to the French Interior Ministry.
The figure was substantially higher than in 2022, when 18.99% of those eligible to vote had done so by 12 p.m. local time (1000 UTC).
Voting closes at 6 p.m. (1600 UTC).
According to French daily le Monde, record turnout in the first round largely benefitted Emmanuel Macron's centrist Renaissance party and the far-right National Rally (RN).
The RN is expected to take first place in Sunday's vote but is likely to fall short of an absolute majority in parliament.
Election outcome could have financial ripple effects
French President Emmanuel Macron dissolved France's lower house of parliament on June 9 after his centrist coalition was defeated by the far-right National Rally in EU parliamentary elections.
Macron's announcement caused financial turmoil, with France's stock market going down and interest rates rising.
In the first round of France's legislative election, the far-right National Rally (RN) came first and the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) came second.
DW took a look at the potential economic instability resulting out of Sunday's election and the economic policies proposed by Macron, the RN and the NFP.
Macron votes in runoff parliamentary election
French President Emmanuel Macron has voted in France's second round of legislative elections.
The results of the runoff vote will determine whether Macron will have to share power with a government led by opposing political factions.
France's government is currently led by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal of Macron's centrist Renaissance party.
Macron called the snap vote after the far-right National Rally took first place in June's EU parliament election.
Macron's centrist bloc already lost its majority in 2022, after which it formed a minority coalition government.
Prime Minister Attal votes in election
Incumbent French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has voted in the second round of legislative elections.
Attal is a member of President Emmanuel Macron's centrist Renaissance party and was named as France's youngest-ever prime minister in early January.
Macron called the snap vote after his centrist bloc was defeated by the far-right National Rally in last month's EU parliament election.
Far-right gaining support in former left strongholds
The far-right National Rally is expected to make a strong showing in the second round of legislative elections.
Voters in former left-wing strongholds gave the National Rally considerable support in the first round.
DW took a look at why the central French department of Cher has seen a surge in support for the far right.
Polls open in mainland France
Voting in the second round of the French parliamentary election opened on Sunday with the far-right looking to making major gains.
The polling booths opened at 8 am (0600 GMT) on Sunday and will close at 6 pm in towns and small cities and 8 pm (1800 GMT) in larger cities.
Voting has already started in some overseas territories.
The results are expected this evening.
The decisive runoff for parliamentary elections will see 49.3 million eligible people cast their ballot.
The focus of this election will be if Marine Le Pen's far-right nationalists of the anti-immigration National Rally (RN) can secure an absolute majority in the National Assembly.
Le Pen's RN came out on top in the first round of the polls on June 30.
Recent polls suggest Le Pen may fall short of an absolute majority, while still being the largest party in parliament.
What happened in the first round?
In the first round of the French parliamentary election, Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) achieved historic gains, raising the possibility of France's first far-right government since World War II.
The RN and its allies garnered some 33% of the vote, the leftist New Popular Front got 28%, and the centrist Ensemble bloc led by President Emmanuel Macron secured some 20%.
While the RN is projected to become the dominant force in the National Assembly, it is expected to fall short of the 289 seats out of 577 needed for a majority.
Le Pen urged voters to give her RN an "absolute majority" in parliament "for (RN's) Jordan Bardella to be appointed prime minister by Emmanuel Macron."
“Nothing has been won yet and the second round will be decisive, to avoid the country falling into the hands of the [NPF] alliance, from an extreme left with a tendency to violence," Le Pen said earlier, using the alliance's former name.
This comes in the light of centrist and leftist parties forming an anti-RN coalition with over 200 candidates withdrawing to create a "republican front" against the far-right.
Hence, the RN's chances of securing an absolute majority in the 577-seat National Assembly seem uncertain.
If the RN falls short, it could still double its 2022 seat count and dominate a hung parliament, potentially causing policy paralysis until Macron's presidency ends in 2027.
This scenario could set the stage for Le Pen's expected fourth presidential bid.
Polls open on Sunday at 8 am (0600 GMT) and close at 6 pm in towns and small cities and 8 pm (1800 GMT) in larger cities.
How does the French election work?
The first round of the French parliamentary election was held on June 30. The second round is on Sunday.
Each of France's 577 constituencies sends one delegate to the National Assembly in Paris.
In the first rounds, candidates securing more than 50% of the vote are elected. This happens rarely. In the first round only 76 lawmakers, mostly from the far-right and left, were elected outright.
The fate of the remaining 501 seats will be determined in run-offs between two or three remaining candidates or, in some instances, four.
Candidates who receive at least 12.5% of registered votes are eligible to go through a second decisive round, where the top scorer wins.
However, the candidates are not obliged to compete in the second round even if eligible, and in recent years quite often French mainstream parties have elected to field only the strongest rival candidate against the far right in the runoff to improve their chances of victory.
Ahead of the decisive second round of the parliamentary vote, centrist and left-wing parties have already started speculating on a joint election strategy, including presenting a united front to counter RN.
The election is not meant to replace President Macron, whose second and final term in office lasts until 2027.
But he will need to select a prime minister from the ranks of the party that secures a majority in the National Assembly or lower house of parliament.
If the far-right National Rally (RN) wins, Macron would be forced into a period of "cohabitation." The term refers to periods when the president and prime minister come from different political camps, thus dividing executive power.
In the case of RN, that would be the party's president Jordan Bardella, rather than Le Pen, who heads the RN's parliamentary group.
The prime minister is responsible for domestic laws, while Macron will remain head of the military and in charge of decisions concerning foreign policy.
If there is no majority, the president can name a prime minister from the group with the most seats in the National Assembly.
Why is France holding a snap election?
French President Emmanuel Macron took a major political gamble by calling parliamentary elections three years ahead of time, after his centrist party was trounced by the far-right National Rally (RN) party of Marine Le Pen in the European Parliament elections earlier this month.
Marine Le Pen's RN made historic gains in the first-round vote last Sunday, raising the possibility of France having its first far-right government since World War II.
Polls suggest the RN will become the dominant legislative force, but fail to reach the 289-seat majority.
In the current National Assembly, Macron's ruling Renaissance party has 169 lawmakers in the Assembly, the biggest grouping in the 577-seat chamber. The National Rally is the largest party in opposition with 88 seats.
ss, sdi/rmt, rc, rm (AP, AFP, dpa, Reuters)