In the first round of legislative elections in France, the far right led by Marine Le Pen’s National Rally and the young Jordan Bardella emerged victorious. The National Rally secured 33.1% of the votes, ahead of the left-wing coalition New Popular Front, which obtained 28%. President Emmanuel Macron’s party came in third with 20% of the votes, while the Republicans stood at 10%. The increased voter turnout of 66.7% highlighted the significance of the election.
The second round of elections, scheduled for the following Sunday, will determine the final configuration of the Assembly. The progressive camp has begun strategizing to defeat the far right, with many candidates withdrawing to form a barrier against National Rally candidates. Macron called for a broad demonstration to counter the far-right advance, urging democratic and republican unity.
In the event of a National Rally majority in the Assembly, Bardella announced plans to be a prime minister of cohabitation, respecting the Constitution and the office of the President of the Republic. Le Pen declared the Macronist bloc practically wiped out after the first round. Macron and other party leaders opted to forgo the second round to prevent a far-right majority in the Assembly.
The suspension of the controversial unemployment insurance reform and the call for reining in the far right reflected the critical nature of the current political climate in France. The New Popular Front aimed to work on uniting the left-wing coalition to challenge the National Rally in the second round. As the week progressed, Macron and other leaders faced the challenge of rallying support to prevent far-right dominance in the Assembly.