The far-right National Rally leaped into a strong lead Sunday in France’s first round of legislative elections, polling agencies projected, bringing the party closer to being able to form a government in round two and dealing a major slap to centrist President Emmanuel Macron and his risky decision to call the surprise ballot.
When Macron dissolved the National Assembly on June 9, after a stinging defeat at the hands of the National Rally in FrenchHe and his allies, as well as politicians on the left, are still hoping they can head off an outright win by the National Rally, and horse-trading began Monday, with some. The leftist coalition said it would withdraw its candidates in districts where they arrived in third position in order to support other politicians opposed to the far right.
Macron, first elected in 2017, has said he will not step down before his second term expires in 2027.