France to vote on Sunday crucial second round of elections which could deliver a historic victory Marine Le-Pen‘S far-right National Rally and his inward-looking, anti-immigration views — or a gridlocked parliament and years of political deadlock.
Sunday’s snap elections in this nuclear-armed country could have implications for the war in Ukraine, global diplomacy and Europe’s economic stability. And they are almost certainly to undermine President Emmanuel Macron for the remaining three years of his presidency. France could have its first far-right government since the Nazi occupation in World War II if the Rassemblement National wins an absolute majority and its 28-year-old leader Jordan Bardella becomes prime minister.
Racism and anti-Semitism have marred the election campaign, together with Russian cyber campaignsand more than 50 candidates reported being physically attacked — highly unusual for France. The government is deploying 30,000 police officers on election day.
The second round of voting began Saturday in France’s overseas territories, from the South Pacific to the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and the North Atlantic. The election will conclude at 8 p.m. (18:00 GMT) on Sunday in mainland France. The first poll forecasts are expected Sunday evening, with early official results expected Sunday night and Monday morning.
Here’s the latest news:
Polls open across mainland France for second round of key parliamentary elections
The second round of the important parliamentary elections in France kicked off on Sunday, with the far-right Rassemblement National party making its biggest gains ever so far.
French President Emmanuel Macron took a huge risk by dissolving parliament and calling elections after his centrists were defeated in the European elections on June 9. The first round on June 30 produced the biggest gains ever for the anti-immigration, nationalist Rassemblement National, led by Marine Le Pen. Sunday’s vote will determine which party controls the National Assembly and who becomes prime minister.
If support for Macron’s weak centrist majority declines further, he will be forced to share power with parties that oppose most of his pro-business, pro-European policies.
The second round of voting began Saturday in France’s overseas territories, from the South Pacific to the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean and the North Atlantic. The election will conclude at 8 p.m. (18:00 GMT) on Sunday in mainland France. The first poll forecasts are expected Sunday evening, with early official results expected Sunday night and Monday morning.
Candidates make hasty agreements to prevent far-right National Rally from leading government
Opposition parties made hasty deals ahead of Sunday’s second round of voting to prevent Marine Le Pen’s far-right Rassemblement National party from winning a landslide victory in parliamentary elections. She said her party would lead the government only if it won an absolute majority, or close to it.
An unprecedented number of candidates who qualified for the second round, from the left-wing alliance of the New Popular Front and the weakened centrists of President Emmanuel Macron, have withdrawn to favor the candidate most likely to defeat an opponent from Rassemblement National.
According to a tally by the French newspaper Le Monde, 218 candidates who were to compete in the second round have withdrawn. Of these, 130 were left-wing and 82 came from the centrist alliance Ensemble, led by Macron.
