In the first round of early general elections in France, the far-right National Unity Party, which is expected to receive about 34% of the votes according to exit polls, is leading the elections.
The voting process in the first round of the early general elections held in France after President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the National Assembly on June 9th ended at 21:00. While the vote counting process continues, according to exit polls published by Ipsos, Ifop, OpinionWay and Elabe, the far-right party National Unity Party (RN), led by 28-year-old Jordan Bardella, who finished first in the European Parliament (EP) elections, is expected to finish first in the election with about 34 of the votes.
The New Popular Front (Nouveau Front Populaire), a left-wing coalition of Jean Luc Melenchon’s Unbowed France (LFI), the Green Party (EEVL), the Socialist Party (PS) and the Communist Party (PCF), is expected to win 28.5 percent of the vote, while the Ensemble alliance, which includes Macron’s Renaissance Party, is expected to win 20.3 percent of the vote.
According to exit polls, the RN is expected to win between 260 and 310 seats in parliament, the New Popular Front between 115 and 145, and the Unity alliance, including Macron’s party, between 90 and 120. In order for a party to form a government, it must win 289 of the 577 seats in parliament. The voter turnout rate was 67.5 percent.
In a statement after the first results of the elections, Macron called for a broad democratic and republican unity against the far-right National Unity Party.
“With a clear vote, the French have shown that they want to turn the page after 7 years in power”
Marine Le Pen, President of the RN National Assembly Group, said: “I am happy for such a high turnout, which has strengthened the result this evening. With a clear vote, the French have shown that they want to turn the page after 7 years in power. This result is the first step towards a choice for change. The inhabitants of the 11th electoral district of Pas-de-Calais are giving me the honor of being elected as of this evening,” he said, adding that he wanted an absolute majority in the second round.
2nd round of elections on July 7th
While the RN, the far-right party on the rise in France, aims to win an absolute majority in the elections, or at least 289 of the 577 seats, a parliamentarian must receive more than 50 percent of the vote to be elected in the first round. Candidates with the support of more than 12.5 percent of voters will qualify for the second round. While it remains unclear who will win the majority in the parliament in the elections, the first round of which will be held today and the second round on July 7, the final result will not be known until the voting process ends on July 7.
Macron dissolved the National Assembly after the EP defeat
On the other hand, in the EP elections held between June 6-9, the far-right National Unity Party came first in France by a clear margin, while Macron’s party Renaissance came second. After failing to achieve the desired result in the EP elections, Macron announced on June 9 that he had decided to dissolve the National Assembly.
