French parliamentary elections on Sunday showed the far-right National Rally (RN) led by Jordan Bardella with a projected 33.5% victory in the first round. Bardella emphasized his readiness to lead all French people towards unity if an absolute majority is awarded next Sunday. The rise of RN has put Macron’s centrist alliance and the leftist New Popular Front led by Jean-Luc Melenchon in a precarious position.
Strong showing for new leftist alliance, but not enough
Despite a 28.5% projected victory for the New Popular Front, Macron’s alliance Together trailing with 22% indicates a challenge. High voter turnout and the possibility of three-way contests in the next round put pressure on strategic alliances to combat the rise of the far right.
High turnout, high volatility
With the potential for runoff elections and the need for strategic alliances, the French political landscape faces uncertainty. The possibility of a hung parliament or early presidential elections looms, indicating a challenging road ahead for governance.
Animosity all round
Political divisions and strategic decision-making will play a crucial role in determining the future governance of France, as alliances shift in response to the far-right surge led by RN.