Right-wing National Rally Secures Lead in French Parliamentary Elections, Spelling Trouble for Macron’s Centrist Government

The far-right National Rally has secured a lead in the first round of critical parliamentary elections in France, potentially spelling the end of the centrist government alliance supported by President Emmanuel Macron. In the first round, Marine Le Pen’s party won around 34% of the vote, with the leftist New Popular Front following at approximately 29%, and Macron’s Together alliance at 20%. The second round of voting is scheduled for July 7, with parties competing for 577 seats in the National Assembly.

After the initial results, Le Pen emphasized the importance of winning the majority vote in the second round, a move that could see National Rally president Jordan Bardella become France’s prime minister. Macron called for a snap election following the far-right’s success in the European parliamentary elections, a move considered a significant gamble due to the short three-week campaign period. He warned voters against the dangers of far-right or far-left governments, highlighting the need to avoid extremes.

Macron had previously won against Le Pen in both French presidential elections. While Le Pen only secured 34% of the vote in her first run for president, she gained momentum over time and garnered more than 41% in her second run as dissatisfaction with Macron’s leadership grew. If National Rally performs well in