France sees huge turnout in early parliamentary elections as far-right seeks gains

CNN
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France sees highest turnout in recent memory as voting begins in first round of snap elections Parliamentary elections Close to the end.

The elections could topple President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist coalition, leaving him to spend the remaining three years of his term in an awkward partnership with the far right.

As of 5 p.m. local time (11 p.m. EST), 59.39% of voters had cast their ballots, a 20% increase from the last set of parliamentary elections held in 2022, according to data released by the French Interior Ministry.

The voting process began at 8 a.m. local time (2 a.m. Eastern time), as France began the process of electing 577 members of the National Assembly through local competitions throughout the country and in its overseas territories.

These elections come three years before they should have been held, and three weeks after Macron’s Ennahda party was defeated by the far-right National Rally party, Marine Le Pen’s party, in the European Parliament elections.

Minutes after the humiliating defeat, and in an apparent attempt to deceive voters, Macron said he could not ignore the message sent by voters and had taken the “serious and heavy” decision to call the election. Early elections – First in France since 1997.

Whatever the outcome, Macron has pledged to stay in office until the next French presidential election in 2027.

The National Assembly is responsible for approving domestic laws – from pensions and taxes to immigration and education – while the President sets the country’s foreign, European and defense policy.

When the president and the majority in Parliament belong to the same party, things go well. When not, the government may shut down – a prospect that could haunt Paris as it prepares to host the Summer Olympics next month.

France recently had such a government – ​​known as “cohabitation” – when right-wing President Jacques Chirac called early elections and was forced to appoint a Socialist, Lionel Jospin, as prime minister, who remained in office for five years.

The first round of votes excludes the weakest candidates before the second round next Sunday. If a candidate wins an absolute majority of votes on the first ballot with a turnout of 25%, he or she wins the seat. Normally, only a few representatives would be elected this way, but most of them would go to a second round.

Only those who win more than 12.5% ​​of the votes of registered voters are allowed to run in the second round. Often there are two candidates, but sometimes there are three or four. Some candidates choose to withdraw at this stage to give their allies a better chance of winning.

Most voters will choose one of three blocs: the far-right coalition led by the National Rally Party; the New Popular Front, a recently formed left-wing coalition; And Macron’s centrist band.

The block is headed by RN Jordan BardellA 28-year-old party leader handpicked by Le Pen, who has sought to burnish the image of a party that has historically suffered from racism and anti-Semitism that flourished under the decades-long leadership of her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen.

Until recently, the prospect of a far-right government seemed unthinkable. In the past, opposition parties have arranged marriages of convenience in an attempt to prevent the National Front—under its former name, the Front National—from entering government. Now, in a few weeks, Bardella could become France’s prime minister—and Europe’s youngest in more than two centuries.

On the left, a group of previously divided parties have come together to form the New Popular Front – a coalition aimed at reviving the original Popular Front that prevented the fascists from coming to power in 1936. The broad coalition includes more extreme figures such as Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a three-time presidential candidate and leader of the Rebellious France, as well as moderate leaders such as Raphael Glaxman of Place Public.

Meanwhile, outgoing French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal – who was appointed to his post by Macron in January – represents Macron’s centrist coalition. Attal was reportedly among the last people in Macron’s inner circle to know that a snap election was imminent.

Polls close at 8 p.m. local time (2 p.m. ET) on Sunday, with full results expected early Monday.

Correction: An earlier version of this story misstated the time polls opened in the election. It is 8 a.m. local time (2 a.m. Eastern) on Sunday.