People in France have voted to elect 577 members of the country’s National Assembly.
Exit polls show that Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) party are ahead in the first round of France’s parliamentary elections.

Paris

French President Emmanuel Macron calls a snap election following a bruising loss to the far-right in a European Parliament ballot.

France snap election

People in France have voted to elect 577 members of the country’s National Assembly. Exit polls indicate that Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) party is leading in the first round of France’s parliamentary elections. The RN has secured a 34% share of the vote, followed by the Popular Front alliance with 28.1%, and Macron's centrist party with 20.3%.

The RN might secure between 240 to 270 seats in Parliament, falling short of the 289 needed for an overall majority. This result sets the stage for significant political maneuvers leading into the second round of voting. Partisan tactics, such as removing candidates to hinder the RN's progress, may shape the race.

The RN's platform includes policies aimed at being tough on immigration, reducing VAT on fuel from 20% to 5%, and prioritizing French citizens for social benefits. These positions have resonated with over 34% of the electorate, who are concerned with immigration issues. 

This election marks a pivotal moment for the RN, founded in 1972 as the National Front and previously associated with controversial figures and ideologies. Under Marine Le Pen's leadership, the party has sought to rebrand and mainstream its image, a strategy that appears to be paying off.



Far-right leads the first round of French elections

Well, the exit polls have just been published in the last minute and they put the national rally ahead. 34% share of the vote. Second, the Popular Front, this alliance of left-wing, centre-left and far-left parties at 28.1%. And Macron's party, the more centrist party, at 20.3%. So it is a significant result for the far-right national rally. It would give them in Parliament about 240 to 270 seats. It doesn't give them an overall majority. They need 289 for that. But going into the second round, this is a fairly good indication of how the voting might pan out. There is a long way to go between now and then. There will be a lot of political jockeying for position. Will other parties try and remove candidates from some constituencies to stop the national rally getting through? This is all to be debated and all to play for in the next week. But the headline really is that over 34% of the French electorate have bought the far-right national rally's pitch. And it is a pitch to be tough on immigration, tough on Islam, but also to cut taxes, to cut VAT on fuel from 20% to 5%. And it is also about national preference. Immigration was one of the main concerns, is one of the main concerns of French voters. And the national rally's policies are to give preference, for example, to French citizens over other French residents for social housing, for student accommodation, even though those other French residents will pay the same taxes as French citizens. It wants to stop dual citizens having what they call sensitive jobs. And it wants to end birthright citizenship in France, something that has been around for more than 200 years. So 34% of the French population has gone for that. There is a work to be done. Macron's big gamble would be some sort of what they called in the past a Republican front that would stop the advance of the national rally. But just to say, just to briefly tell you that this party founded in 1972 as the National Front, led by John Marine Le Pen, had members of the Waffen-SS, controlled by the Nazis, in it. It has been detoxified by its leader, Marine Le Pen, his youngest daughter, in the last ten years. And she has brought this party into the political mainstream. And this, we are beginning to see the fruits of her labours.

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Kingston

Hurricane Beryl

Hurricane Beryl leaves trail of destruction, churns towards Jamaica

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Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

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Council of the City of Sydney

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Saint George's

Hurricane Beryl 'extremely dangerous' as it gains strength

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Melbourne

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Jerusalem

Ultra-Orthodox Jews rally against military service

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Bridgetown

Hurricane Beryl strengthens to Category 4 storm

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London

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Tenerife

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Gumlu

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Kathmandu

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Siberia

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Tehran

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Canberra

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Mascot

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Israel-Gaza War

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