The French will head to the polls on Sunday to elect new members to the National Assembly. This decision was made by President Emmanuel Macron after the European elections. Macron’s party, Renaissance, came in second place behind the far-right National Alliance led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella. The National Alliance received 31% of the vote, while Renaissance received only 15%.
Macron’s decision to dissolve the National Assembly may have come from a desire to take the initiative in response to the rise of the far right. By calling early elections, Macron positioned himself as a leader challenging the far right and gauging its actual support. If he had not acted, he may have been forced to respond to calls for new elections from the National Alliance.
There are two theories about Macron’s motives. One is that he does not believe the National Alliance will win again in the National Assembly elections. The other theory is that Macron wants the National Alliance to win to show the consequences of their policies.
If the National Alliance were to win the election, they could form a cohabitation government with Macron as president. This would make governing difficult, as the president needs support from the parliament for many actions. Macron may be preparing for the 2027 presidential election and trying to prevent Marine Le Pen from becoming president.
In addition to the political implications of the election, the beloved French national football team has also taken a stand. Players like Kylian Mbappé and Marcus Thuram have urged young people to vote and oppose the National Alliance. The outcome of the election will have a significant impact on the future direction of France and its relationship with the European Union.