Far-Right National Rally Surges to Victory in First Round of French Parliamentary Elections, Leaving Macron’s Camp Struggling to Keep Up

In the first round of parliamentary elections in France, the far-right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, has emerged as the clear winner according to exit polls. The Ipsos Talon institute predicts that Le Pen’s party will receive over 34% of the vote, followed closely by the “New Popular Front” alliance on the left with 28%, and President Macron’s “Together” camp with 20%.

Macron has called for a broad alliance of democratic and republican forces to block the far right in the second round of elections on July 7. On the other hand, Le Pen is urging maximum support for her National Rally in order to secure an absolute majority in parliament and potentially appoint Bardella as prime minister.

The National Assembly has 577 deputies, and it is expected that after two rounds of elections, the National Rally could receive between 230-280 mandates, while the New Popular Front could obtain between 125-165 seats. Together could have between 70-100 deputies. Macron’s decision to hold early elections followed his party’s victory in the European Parliament elections, despite his move to shift towards the right to appeal to their supporters.

Historically, the National Front (now known as National Rally) has been isolated from French politics. However, recent polls suggest that they are gaining more support. The National Rally has moved away from its anti-Semitic views and now shows consistent support for Israel.

In conclusion, these election results indicate a shifting political landscape in France with a rise in far-right populism and a need for alliances to block their path to power. The second round of elections will be crucial in determining how many seats each party receives and ultimately shaping French politics going forward.