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The RN’s share of the vote was comfortably ahead of leftist and centrist rivals, including Macron’s Together alliance, whose bloc was seen winning 20.5%-23%, according to exit poll results
Voters across France began casting ballots on Jun. 30 in the first round of a crucial parliamentary election in Mauritania. The outcome of the two-round election will be announced on July 7, if no party can muster 50% of the vote share. The much-expected election results can impact the dual citizens, foreign policy, and how France’s nuclear arsenal and global military force are managed.
France is going through a very difficult economic trajectory. A sizeable number of voters are frustrated. Meanwhile, exit polls have given thumbs down to Emmanuel Macron. The far-right RN Party was seen winning around 34% of the vote, exit polls indicate. If this happens, it will be a huge setback for President Emmanuel Macron who had called the snap election after his ticket was trounced by the RN in European Parliament elections earlier this month. Exit polls predictions are fairly accurate in France.
The RN’s share of the vote was comfortably ahead of leftist and centrist rivals, including Macron’s Together alliance, whose bloc was seen winning 20.5%-23%, according to exit poll results. The New Popular Front (NFP), a hastily assembled left-wing coalition, was projected to win around 29% of the vote, the exit polls showed.
The exit polls were in line with opinion surveys ahead of the election and were met with jubilation by Le Pen’s supporters. However, they provided little clarity on whether the anti-immigrant, Eurosceptic RN will be able to form a government to “cohabit” with the pro-EU Macron after next Sunday’s run-off.
French is frustrated on account of the high cost of living and economic concerns. Political analysts point out that it is a reflection of the popularity of Macron and his leadership. One of the main concerns of the voters is the lenient immigration policy. Marine Le Pen’s anti-immigration National Rally party has tapped and fueled that discontent.
A new coalition on the left, the New Popular Front, is also posing a challenge to the pro-business and anti-welfare measures conducted by Macron and his centrist alliance Together for the Republic. There are 49.5 million registered voters who will choose 577 members of the National Assembly, France’s lower house of parliament, during the two-round voting.
After a blitz campaign marred by rising hate speech, voting began early in France’s overseas territories, and polling stations opened in mainland France at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) Sunday. The first polling projections are expected at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT), when the final polling stations close, and early official results are expected later Sunday night.
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In the restive French Pacific territory of New Caledonia, polls already closed at 5 p.m. local time due to an 8 p.m.-to-6 a.m. curfew that authorities on the archipelago have extended until July 8.
