French election results: winners and losers in Paris
For the first time, the far-right National Rally has topped the legislative polls in France, more than doubling its support, while President Emmanuel Macron has been left reeling.
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00The National Rally has dominated the first round of the French parliamentary elections,
00:06as French voters throw their support behind the far-right party.
00:11Exit polls suggest they are followed by the left-wing coalition, the New Popular Front,
00:17while Emmanuel Macron's governing Ensemble party trails behind in third place.
00:23Ipsos has projected the National Rally will gain between 230 and 280 seats in the National
00:29Assembly, meaning they would have to reach out to other parties to secure a majority.
00:35But if the party gains a parliamentary majority, they will have the opportunity to create the
00:40first far-right government in France since World War II.
00:45President Macron would also be forced to work alongside 28-year-old National Rally President
00:51Jordan Bardella as Prime Minister.
01:12Responding to the first-round results, current French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal warns
01:17that the far-right is on the doorstep of power and urged voters to shun Le Pen's party
01:22when polls open again.
01:47Meanwhile, both Macron and Jean-Luc Mélenchon, founder of the left-wing party La France Insoumise,
01:59have said they will withdraw candidates in the second round in an effort to block the
02:03National Rally from gaining legislative power.
02:17As the exit polls were announced, thousands of left-wing supporters gathered at Place
02:39de la République in Paris to protest against the rise of the far-right.
02:46The second round of voting in the parliamentary elections will take place next Sunday.