Voters head to the polls in second round of French elections, with far right National Rally hoping for historic victory
7 July 2024, 08:21 | Updated: 7 July 2024, 14:44
Voting is underway in the second round of the French elections, with the far right National Rally party hoping to become the largest party in parliament.
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Sunday's vote will determine who takes control of the National Assembly, and who will be French prime minister.
President Emmanuel Macron called the snap election after a poor showing for his party in the European elections in June.
But the first round of voting in the parliamentary election on June 30 saw the largest gains ever for the Rassemblement National (National Rally), which is nationalist and anti-immigration.
The party is led by Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella, 28, who could become Prime Minister.
Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron make an appearance (and get some cheers from the waiting crowd) in Le Touquet as France votes in the second round of the parliamentary elections @LBC @LBCNews pic.twitter.com/bOZD8l26qU
— Tom Hourigan (@TomHourigan) July 7, 2024
Behind National Rally in the first round of voting came a coalition of centre-left, hard-left and Green parties, and Mr Macron's centrist alliance.
The outcome remains highly uncertain.
Polls between the two rounds suggest that the National Rally may win the most seats in the 577-seat National Assembly but fall short of the 289 seats needed for a majority.
That would still make history, if a party with historic links to xenophobia and downplaying the Holocaust, and long seen as a pariah, becomes France's biggest political force.
If it wins the majority, Mr Macron would be forced to share power in an awkward arrangement known in France as "cohabitation".
Another possibility is that no party has a majority, resulting in a hung parliament.
That could prompt Mr Macron to pursue coalition negotiations with the centre-left or name a technocratic government with no political affiliations.
Regardless of what happens, Mr Macron said he will not step down and will stay president until his term ends in 2027.
The election has also been marred by violence, with over 50 reported attacks on politicians.
The government is deploying 30,000 police on voting day.
