France's Parliamentary Elections

French voters headed to the polls yesterday for the first round of parliamentary elections. Exit polls show the nationalist-populist National Rally in the lead with 33% of the vote as turnout approached 70%, the highest in 40 years. 

French President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections last month when the National Rally defeated centrists in the European Union's parliamentary elections (see previous write-up). Observers suggest that decision backfired, with Macron's centrist Together for the Republic coalition now trailing in third place (22%) after the left-wing New Popular Front (29%).

On July 7, leading candidates without an outright majority will advance to a second round of elections to determine the makeup of France's 577-member National Assembly (see overview). Macron has vowed to remain president until 2027 regardless of the results; however, if the National Rally places first on Sunday, Macron will appoint a prime minister from the party as part of a power-sharing system