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The early legislative elections mark an important political turning point in France. The results are gradually being consolidated, the day after the first round. The National Rally and its allies come out on top with 33.15%, ahead of the New Popular Front (27.99%) and the presidential camp (20.04%). For the left-wing parties, it is time for reflection and mobilisation to try to counter this advance of populist nationalism, in a climate of profound political and social tension.
The National Rally and its allies came out on top with 33.15% of the vote, or more than 10.6 million voters. The New Popular Front won 27.99% of the votes cast, or just under 9 million votes. The presidential camp won 20.04% of the vote, or more than 6.4 million voters, while the right (Les Républicains – 6.56%, various right – 3.67%) totaled 10.23%.
Another lesson from this first round: the historic turnout of 66.71%, or 32,911,132 voters, well above the 47.51% of 2022, but below the 67.9% of the last legislative elections organized after a dissolution, in 1997.
In total, 39 RN deputies and their allies were elected in the first round, against 32 NFP (left-wing union) deputies and two ENS (presidential majority) deputies. The Republicans and the Miscellaneous Right total three seats.
Faced with this threat, left-wing leaders have already called for mobilization to prepare for the second round. The night before last, the Place de la République in Paris once again hosted a rally against the rise of the far right. Hundreds of young people, brandishing the colors of left-wing political parties such as La France Insoumise, the ecologists or the socialists, gathered around the statue of the Republic.
Deploying banners with anti-fascist slogans, they expressed their categorical rejection of the discourse and ideas of the extreme right. This gathering is part of a context of growing concerns about the electoral progress of these political movements, considered a threat to republican values and social achievements. The citizen mobilization reflects the desire to block fundamentalism and defend the principles of tolerance and openness.
The New Popular Front, a left-wing alliance, managed to mobilize many voters in the first round. However, the result seems to be heading towards a landslide victory for the National Rally, a party considered by many to be extremist. This prospect is raising serious concerns among the left-wing electorate.
It should be recalled that after the announcement of the very large victory of the National Rally in the European elections, the French president had called on June 7 legislative elections on June 30 and July 7.
The National Rally list, led by Jordan Bardella, had collected 31.5% of the votes, followed by the Renaissance list of Valérie Hayer (14.5%) and that of Raphaël Glucksmann (Socialist Party, 14%). Next, among the parties that exceeded 5%, were La France Insoumise (10.1%), Les Républicains (7.2%), Les Écologistes (5.5%) and Reconquête! (5.3%).
Emmanuel Macron addressed the French people and decided to take stock of these poor results for his camp.
In his speech, the French president recalled that he had always defended “the idea that a strong, united and independent Europe is good for France”. He deplored the good results of the extreme right in Europe and particularly in his country.
This brutal dissolution of the National Assembly, decided by Emmanuel Macron, resulted in the dissolution of his own majority which, having come third behind the RN and the New Popular Front, now finds itself threatened with near-wiping out.
“The decision to dissolve the National Assembly has, in effect, put an end to the political landscape that resulted from the 2017 presidential election,” summed up former French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, who ten days earlier had accused President Macron of having “killed” the majority.
The result of the French legislative elections represents much more than a simple defeat for the presidential camp. It is in reality a real challenge to Macronism, the political movement led by Emmanuel Macron since his election in 2017.
The movement’s initial promise that the French would “no longer have any reason to vote for the extremes” has indeed collapsed. With more than 10.5 million votes, nearly quadruple its 2017 score, the National Rally and its allies have made significant progress, winning a significant share of the vote. This resounding failure of Macronism, all the more striking in the face of a high voter turnout, underlines the profound transformations underway in the French political landscape.