Macron’s list weakened after the first round of the French legislative elections

The joint bloc of the President of France, Emmanuel Macron, came out weak from the first round of the legislative elections that took place on Sunday after receiving 25.7% of the vote, seven points lower in relation to the proportion of five votes. years ago.

Macron’s party was only 0.1% higher than the New People’s Ecological and Social Union (NUPES), a coalition of the unaffected Socialist, Communist, Green and France parties led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

With 25.6%, Melenchon, the leader of the left-wing coalition, is positioned as the politician who will present the strongest opposition to Macron in the National Assembly.

According to Radio France Internationale, the difference between the two political blocs of Macron and Melenchon is only 21,000 votes.

The second round of elections for the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament, will take place on Sunday, June 19.

Despite a strong majority in his centre-right party, Macron knew he was facing stiff competition from the array of left-wing parties that banded together to oppose his pro-business agenda.

The National Assembly has 577 seats. Opinion polls suggest Macron could lose control by projecting a victory between 275 and 310 deputies. In the meantime, the Left Alliance will get 180 for 210.

See also: France heads to the polls on Sunday to vote in legislative elections

In the first round, the National Rally party led by former right-wing presidential candidate Marine Le Pen came third with 18.68% of the vote.

According to an IPSOS/Sopra Steria poll, Le Pen’s party, which currently has only eight seats, is expected to win several more seats to between 20 and 45.

The Republicans, affiliated with the party that was once a stronghold in France and recently led by Valerie Pecresse in the presidential race, won 10.42% of the vote on Sunday.

There was a record low turnout in the weekend elections as only 52.49% of eligible voters cast their ballots.

A majority will be achieved in Sunday’s second round with a minimum of 289 of the 577 seats.

* Aisha Sandoval Laguna contributed to this article.

Anadolu Agency website contains only part of the news stories presented to subscribers on the AA News Broadcasting System (HAS), and in summary.