French Voters Foil Le Pen’s Far Right to Take Power in France
The indecisive victory throws French politics into chaos with a hung parliament following Sunday’s return to the polls in the snap parliamentary election
A week ago it seemed like France was going to fall to the far right after Marie Le Pen’s far right National Rally party (RN) led in the first round of voting, edging towards power, which could have resulted in France’s first far right government since the World War II Vichy regime.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for the snap election three years earlier than needed after his party suffered a maiming by the RN in the European Parliament’s election held last month. Macron's gamble was a response to the voters to seek “clarification” in the political situation, which has resulted in more vagueness instead.
Sunday’s second round of votes in the French parliamentary election saw a broad alliance of leftist and environmental parties New Popular Front (NFP), led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, which only came into existence this month, securing 182 seats. This was however not enough to meet the 289 seat threshold for an absolute majority in the National Assembly’s 577 seats.
Macron’s centrist coalition Ensemble alliance came in second with 168 seats despite lagging in third place in the first round votes.
Marine Le Pen’s RN party and its allies, despite slumping in third place, secured its highest seat count with 143.
France's hung parliament sees victory only in the unification of the mainstream parties, with over 200 candidates from the left and centre dropping out of the second round votes, to prevent the radical right from taking power.
The anti-immigration RN party may have failed to succeed in its led government to take office, however the party which only won eight seats in 2017 when Macron came into power, has steadily gained more with 89 seats in 2022 and the present result. This shows the party is still a potent contender in the next parliament.
In the wake of chaos created by the polarised political landscape, President Macron has to appoint a prime minister outside of his party. It is unlikely that someone from the extreme right National Rally or the extreme left France Unbowed parties will be appointed due to the lack of political consensus in the National Assembly.
On Monday the current Prime Minister Gabriel Attal resigned, but has been asked by Mr. Macron to remain for “stability” during the Paris Summer Olympics.
Macron’s presidential term comes to an end in 2027, however given Sunday's election results, a vote of no confidence could give rise to a presidential snap election following Macron’s resignation.
