Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party came first in the 1st round of the French legislative elections, with 33%. The New Popular Front came second, with 29%, and President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Renaissance ranked third, with 22%. The three parties will compete again next Sunday, and the outcome will determine the parliamentary majority.
“I aim to be prime minister for all the French people if the French give us their votes,” said Jordan Bardella, the 28-year-old leader of the National Rally, expressing optimism that his party would secure the necessary 289 seats for an absolute majority.
Voter turnout exceeded 65%, a significant increase from the 47.5% recorded in 2022, marking the highest participation rate in nearly 40 years.
According to current data and French polling institutes, the National Rally could win between 240 and 310 seats in the next round of elections, the New People’s Front 150-200, and the Renaissance party between 70 and 120. However, everything will depend on the alliances formed in the coming days.
Faced with the prospect of a far-right government, the leader of the New Popular Front, Jean-Luc Mélenchon will withdraw candidates who placed third ahead of the second-round elections so that voters can unite behind the candidates who came second in the first round. The French president, for his part, calls for a broader democratic alliance against the far-right without, however, providing clear voting directions so far.
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