The recent French National Assembly election results have sent shockwaves through the country as the anti-immigration National Rally party, led by Marine Le Pen, secured a significant victory with 34% of the vote in exit polls.
This outcome brings the nationalist party, with a controversial history, closer to power than ever before and could potentially see Le Pen’s protege, the 28-year-old right-wing leader Jordan Bardella, becoming the prime minister after the second round of voting on July 7.
If Bardella succeeds, it would mark the first far-right leadership in France since the Vichy regime during WWII, a concerning prospect for many. The snap election called by President Emmanuel Macron seems to have backfired, as his centrist Renaissance party only managed to secure 21% of the vote, trailing behind the left-wing New Popular Front at 29%.
With high voter turnout exceeding 65%, the significance of this election cannot be understated. Despite not guaranteeing an absolute majority, the National Rally is poised to become a major force in French politics, potentially ushering in a new era marked by populist, Euro-skeptic, and anti-immigration policies.
If the National Rally dominates the next round of voting, Macron’s influence could be severely limited, leading to a period of “cohabitation” where the president and prime minister come from different parties.
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