Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) party surged ahead in the first round of France’s parliamentary elections on Sunday deafeating President Emmanuel Macron’s Ensemble alliance, according to initial projections, bringing it closer to power than ever before.
Following an unusually high turnout, the RN bloc secured 34% of the vote, while the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) coalition came in second with 28.1%.
President Emmanuel Macron’s Ensemble alliance fell to a disappointing third place with 20.3%, based on initial estimates by Ipsos.
Although the RN is poised to win the most seats in the National Assembly, it may still fall short of the 289 seats needed for an absolute majority, suggesting France may face a hung parliament and increased political uncertainty.
Projections indicate that after next Sunday’s second round of voting, the RN could secure between 230 and 280 seats in the 577-seat lower house—a dramatic increase from its 88 seats in the outgoing parliament.
The NFP is expected to win between 125 and 165 seats, with Ensemble lagging behind with between 70 and 100 seats.
Macron called this election after his party was heavily defeated by the RN in European Parliament elections earlier this month. The outcome could force him to complete his remaining three years as president in a difficult partnership with a prime minister from an opposition party.
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The RN election party in Henin Beaumont erupted in celebration as the results were announced, but Marine Le Pen quickly emphasized that next Sunday’s vote will be crucial.
“Democracy has spoken, and the French people have placed the National Rally and its allies in first place – and has practically erased the Macronist bloc,” she told a jubilant crowd, adding: “Nothing has been won – and the second round will be decisive.”
In a speech at the RN headquarters in Paris, Jordan Bardella, the 28-year-old leader of the party and its prime ministerial candidate, echoed Le Pen’s message.
“The vote taking place next Sunday is one of the most decisive in the entire history of the Fifth Republic,” Bardella said.
In his bullish speeches before the first round, Bardella declared he would not govern a minority government, which would necessitate relying on allies’ votes to pass legislation. Should the RN fail to secure an absolute majority and Bardella remain steadfast in his stance, Macron may need to seek a prime minister from the hard left or elsewhere to establish a technocratic government.
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