According to early forecasts, the right-wing National Coalition is leading in the first round of early parliamentary elections in France. Together with its allies, it reached 34 to 34.2 percent, broadcasters TF1 and France 2 announced after voting closed on Sunday.
President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist camp finished third with 20.3 to 21.5 percent, followed by the leftist coalition Nouveau Front Popular with 28.1 to 29.1 percent. At more than 60 percent, voter turnout was higher than it had been in decades.
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The result was a bitter defeat for French President Emmanuel Macron. He hoped to use early elections to expand his centrist forces’ relative majority in the lower house. Now that seems highly unlikely.
How many seats the constituencies will get in the National Assembly will be decided only in the second phase of elections on July 7. To apportion the 577 seats, it is important how many candidates withdraw in the second round of voting, for example preventing the RN candidate from winning.
Early projections suggest that Marine Le Pen’s right-wing populists and their allies could become a strong force in the lower house with between 230 and 280 seats. However, they will lose their absolute majority of 289 seats.
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The Left can also win and get 125 to 200 seats. Macron’s liberals are in danger of going just 60 to 100 seats. However, accurate reports on seat distribution have so far been difficult. Before the second round of elections, parties can form local coalitions that influence the outcome of the election.
At present, it cannot be expected that fundamentally different political actors will come together to form a government coalition after the elections. Without a clear majority in the National Assembly, France faces a crisis. Because the National Assembly can overthrow the government, it needs a majority in the House of Parliament to do its job. (DPA)
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