In a historic moment for the populist right in France, approximately 34% of voters supported the bloc led by Marine Le Pen’s “National Union” party in the recent elections. This was compared to 29% who voted for a broad left bloc and 22% who voted for the Center Bloc, led by incumbent President Emmanuel Macron. Despite calling for snap elections three weeks ago to consolidate his political power, Macron suffered a sharp defeat as the results did not favor him.
With eyes now turned to the upcoming second round of elections, it remains to be seen how these support rates will translate into seats in the National Assembly, which has 577 seats. The “National Union” party will need at least 289 seats to secure an absolute majority in parliament and form a government. While current estimates suggest that they may fall short of this majority, with the left bloc expected to win between 180 and 200 seats.
As voting district results become known, candidates who qualified for the second round will compete. Candidates who received more than 12.5% of the votes in the first round qualify for the second round. The National Union party demonstrated broad support throughout France, showing that their victory was not just a protest vote from European Parliament elections.
The voting rate in these elections exceeded previous rates, with close to 70% turnout compared to less than 48% two years ago. Macron’s decision to dissolve the National Assembly and call for snap elections after European Parliament results failed to sway public opinion. The populist right in France looks poised to take power while Macron’s political bet seems to have backfired.
The populist right has achieved an unprecedented achievement in France with approximately 34% of French voters supporting their bloc led by Marine Le Pen’s “National Union” party. While this falls short of an outright victory, it represents a significant step forward for this movement and suggests that their message is resonating with many French voters.
However, it is still unclear how these support rates will translate into seats in the National Assembly, as each electoral district will have different outcomes depending on various factors such as demographics and voter behavior.
As we move towards election day, it remains clear that there is still much work to be done by both sides if they want to secure victory or maintain their current positions of power.
Overall, these recent events highlight how important it is for political leaders like Macron to listen carefully to their constituents and adapt their policies accordingly if they want to maintain public trust and avoid further setbacks like this one.
