The National Rally party has achieved a significant victory in the first round of voting for the French National Assembly, according to early projections. This brings the party's long-taboo brand of nationalist, anti-immigrant politics to the brink of power. Final results from the Interior Ministry are expected to be released today.
Pollster projections, which are typically reliable, suggest that the far-right party garnered about 34 percent of the vote. This places it ahead of a coalition of left-wing parties, projected to take about 29 percent, and President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Renaissance party and its allies, which are in third place with about 22 percent.
Voter turnout was notably high at approximately 67 percent, compared with 47.5 percent in the first round of the last parliamentary election in 2022. The two-round election will conclude with a runoff this coming Sunday between the leading parties in each constituency. The National Rally now appears very likely to become the largest force in the lower house, though not necessarily with an absolute majority.
The next steps could see a new majority of lawmakers opposed to Macron's administration, potentially reshaping the political landscape in France.
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