The far-right National Union party, led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, won the first round of France’s legislative elections on Sunday with 33% of the vote, triggering a political earthquake in the country and leading to calls from the left and the centre for a “democratic barrier” against a possible far-right majority in the second round.
According to forecasts put forward by French television channels following the election, the National Union and allies of the Republican faction led by Eric Ciotti are expected to win between 230 and 280 seats in the National Assembly, which is enough to guarantee an absolute majority. In second place was the left-wing coalition “New Popular Front” with 126-165 seats, and the centrist bloc of President Emmanuel Macron “Together for the Republic” was in a distant third position with 70-100 deputies.
The forecasts are not final, as there will be a second round next Sunday in all constituencies where no candidate managed to secure a majority, leaving much open.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the far-left France Insubmissa party, part of the New Popular Front, yesterday guaranteed that the left-wing coalition would withdraw its candidate in all constituencies where it came third in the first round, to avoid splitting the vote and supporting the far right.
President Emmanuel Macron, who lost on election night, called for a “great mobilization of the democratic and republican parties” in the second round to stop the far right from winning.
AND
Ready to become prime minister
The National Union candidate, 28-year-old Jordan Bardella, assured that he is “ready to govern the country.” “I will be a prime minister of cohabitation, respecting the Constitution and the office of the President of the Republic, but not abandoning the policies that we intend to pursue,” said “Dauphin” Le Pen.
Absolute majority
The leader of France’s far right yesterday said the country had “showed a clear desire to turn the page” and had “virtually made the Macronist bloc disappear” but warned that “nothing has been won yet.” “The second round will be decisive,” the leader of the National Union emphasized, appealing to the French to give Jordan Bardella an absolute majority.