Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the French parliament on Sunday and called for snap legislative elections after the far right defeated his centrist alliance in EU polls.
In an address to the nation, Macron announced that the first round of elections for the lower house National Assembly will take place on June 30 and the second round of elections will take place on July 7 this year. The outcome of the EU elections, he acknowledged, is “not a good result for parties who defend Europe.”
Macron noted that, including the top-scoring National Rally (NR), the far-right parties in France have managed to take almost 40 per cent of the vote in the European Union (EU) elections in France. As per AFP Macron said, “Far-right parties… are progressing everywhere in the continent. It is a situation to which I cannot resign myself”. He added “I decided to give you the choice… Therefore I will dissolve the National Assembly tonight.
Macron as per AFP also said “This decision is serious and heavy but it is an act of confidence. Confidence in you, dear compatriots, and in the capacity of the French people to make the best choice for itself and future generations.” The National Rally (RN) list which is headed by Jordan Bardella, 28, gained between 32.3 and 33 % of the vote compared with 14.8 to 15.2 % for Macron’s alliance led by his Renaissance party, according to projections from several polling firms.
Macron on Thursday warned that the EU risked being blocked by a big far-right presence in the European parliament after the elections this week. These results also mark a critical moment as eyes turn to France’s 2027 presidential vote where Macron cannot stand again and RN figurehead Marine Le Pen fancies she has her best-ever chance of winning the Elysee Palace.
