French vote turnout soars as far right eyes power
1. Macron stunned nation by calling snap polls after far-right RN party trounced his centrist forces in European Parliament
French voters turned out in large numbers on Sunday for the first round of snap parliamentary elections, with the possibility of the far-right National Rally (RN) party, led by Marine Le Pen, taking power for the first time. President Emmanuel Macron called these snap elections after the RN's success in the European Parliament elections, but his centrist alliance is now predicted to come third behind the RN and the new leftist New Popular Front (NFP).
The turnout was notably high, with 59.39 percent voting by 5:00 pm, about 20 points higher than the last comparable elections in 2022. Projections suggest a final turnout of 67.5-69.7 percent, the highest since 1981. The high participation is significant as France faces polarizing choices amidst ongoing issues like the war in Ukraine and rising energy and food prices.
The RN party, bolstered by these issues, could potentially form a government if they secure the largest number of seats in the National Assembly after the second round of voting on July 7. This would be a historic shift, marking the far-right's rise to power in France since World War II.
Despite Macron's efforts to curtail the RN's ascent, opinion polls suggest the RN could win between 35 and 37 percent of the vote, with the NFP at 27.5-29 percent and Macron's centrist camp at 20-21 percent. High voter turnout is crucial, as it could influence the qualification of candidates and potential alliances between the left-wing and centrist parties to oppose the far-right in the second round.
Macron and Le Pen were seen actively engaging with voters, with Macron in Le Touquet and Le Pen in Henin-Beaumont. The election has caused political instability, impacting the Paris stock exchange and leading to increased hate speech and racial tensions during the campaign.
As polling stations closed at 8:00 pm, immediate projections were expected to provide a clearer picture of the election outcome. In overseas territories like New Caledonia, voter turnout was also significantly higher than in previous elections.
