Following the unusual decision by French President Emmanuel Macron to call for early elections last month, another surprise awaited French voters when the polls closed on Sunday (7): the far-right National Rally (RN) did not secure the majority of parliamentary seats that pre-election polls had predicted. It didn’t even come close.
With the highest voter turnout in over 40 years, initial estimates suggest that the majority of seats will go to the New Popular Front (NFP), a left coalition that quickly united just days after Macron announced that the legislative elections would be held early.
The first results place the leftist NFP with the most seats, but short of the absolute majority needed to govern; Macron’s centrist coalition Ensemble in second; and the far-right RN in third. As no party will achieve an absolute majority, the country’s future remains uncertain.
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced his resignation about an hour after the results were released on Sunday night, and Macron will be under pressure to appoint someone from the NFP coalition.
The elections, which recorded a turnout of 67.1%, the highest in over 40 years, indicate a total rejection of a far-right government. Even though the RN made the most significant gains in the party’s history, its campaign was marred by accusations of racism and antisemitism.
The French Political System
The French Republic is a semi-presidential democratic republic. The executive power is led by the President of the Republic, currently Emmanuel Macron, and the government, which is composed of the Prime Minister and his ministers. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President and is accountable to the parliament.
The Parliament is made up of the French National Assembly and the Senate of France and has the main responsibility of voting on new statutes and laws and approving the national budget plan.
Source: NRP