Marine Le Pen wins, but does not make it in the first round of the legislative elections. His Rassemblement national (RN) becomes the main political force in the country with 33.15% of the votes, more than 10 million preferences, however less than the 36% that had been attributed to it by the polls before Sunday’s vote, ahead of the left of Nuovo Fronte Popolare (27.99%, almost 9 million preferences) and to the macronian Ensemble (20.76%, almost 7 million preferences), according to the definitive results. Republicans stopped at 6.6%. “Nothing is more normal than political alternation and such high participation gives particular strength to the vote”, commented Marine le Pen immediately, thanking the voters. “Democracy has spoken,” she added. Her successor, Jordan Bardella, who she already sees at the helm of the government, added: “by supporting the candidates of the RN, the French have aroused unprecedented hope throughout the country.” Hence the invitation to voters to “remain mobilized in a final effort next Sunday” in the second round of the legislative elections.
Record turnout
With a turnout of 66.7%, well above the 47.5% in 2022, but lower than the 67.9% recorded in the last legislative elections held after a dissolution in 1997, the far right could get 240 to 270 seats in the National Assembly, therefore less than the absolute majority (289) he is aiming for. The left is credited with between 180 and 200 seats, while the outgoing majority is between 60 and 90 compared to the 245 it had in the outgoing Assembly.
The game of alliances
This is why French President Emmanuel Macron called on his electorate to rally against Rassemblement National: “in front of the Rassemblement National, the time has come for a broad, clearly democratic and republican union for the second round” on July 7. Outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal also called on everyone to do everything to avoid Rn’s “dangerous project” of reaching an absolute majority, then invited the candidates who came in third and were admitted to the ballot to withdraw if it would be useful to avoid the election of an Rn candidate, in favor of “those with whom we share the values of the Republic”. The leader of France Insoumise, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, called for a barrier against Rn and announced that the candidates of the New Popular Front who came in third will withdraw in the event of a triangulation on July 7. Olivier Faure of the Socialist Party did the same.
A barrier against the far right, but not at all costs. The French Finance Minister, Bruno Le Maire, has in fact said that he would not invite voters to choose far-left candidates from the La France Insoumise party if this was the only realistic option to stop an RN candidate. “LFI is a danger to the nation,” declared Le Maire.
A crucial week
The week is therefore set to be crucial. See you on July 7, the second round of the legislative elections to find out the formation of the new National Assembly and the new majority. “The second round of the legislative elections will be “one of the most decisive in the entire history of the Fifth Republic,” declared the number one of RN, Jordan Bardella. “The French have given life to an unprecedented hope in the country. I invite them to make one last effort. The presidential camp cannot win. The choice is clear and France has two roads available: the alliance of the worst, which will lead to ruin, on the one hand, and on the other, national unity, which will restore security and defend jobs.”
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Publication time: 01/07/2024 06:52
Last update: 01/07/2024 09:38
