Far-right surges in French snap elections as Macron’s bloc faces defeat
Marine Le Pen from French far-right National Rally party gestures during a campaign meeting in Avignon, France, April 14, 2022. (Reuters Photo)
French far-right and left-wing figures celebrated a significant victory on Sunday following preliminary results of the snap elections, marking a setback for President Emmanuel Macron’s bloc.
Marine Le Pen, speaking at a news conference, hailed the “end of Macron’s bloc” and declared, “Democracy has spoken. The French have placed the National Rally (RN) and its allies on top and have practically erased the Macronist bloc.”
The former RN president also praised the estimated high voter turnout, expected to exceed 65%, according to surveys.
Le Pen cautioned against “unjustified fear” and “fabricated threats” concerning the far-right, promising that no French citizen would see their rights diminished.
“We need an absolute majority,” she emphasized, highlighting the significance of the upcoming second round of elections scheduled for July 7.
Far-right leader calls for unity
Addressing reporters, RN President Jordan Bardella welcomed the preliminary results and called for unity heading into the next round. He warned against a potential victory by the left-wing alliance and pledged to safeguard the rights and freedoms of French citizens.
Bardella also vowed to lead a coalition government that respects the constitution and the president’s role, while remaining steadfast in implementing his party’s policies.
Celebrating Macron’s defeat
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the left-wing alliance “New Popular Front,” characterized the election results as a resounding defeat for President Macron at a news conference. He pledged to contest vigorously in the second round, particularly against the RN.
“We will not allow the RN to gain ground anywhere,” he asserted. “Our directive is clear: no votes, no seats for the RN.”
According to exit polls by Ifop, reported in Le Figaro, the RN secured 34.2% of the votes, making it the leading party. The “New Popular Front” of left-wing parties followed with 29.1%, while President Macron’s centrist alliance “Together for the Republic” ranked third with 21.5% of the votes.
Over 49 million registered voters participated in the 12-hour voting process on Sunday to elect 577 members of the National Assembly for a five-year term.
President Macron had dissolved parliament and called for snap elections following the RN’s strong showing in the European Parliament elections on June 9, where they outperformed his centrist bloc.
