France's far-right National Rally party makes big gains in first round of legislative elections

Former president of the French far-right Rassemblement National (RN) parliamentary group Marine Le Pen gives a speech during the results evening of the first round of the parliamentary elections in Henin-Beaumont, northern France, on June 30, 2024. © François Lo Presti, AFP

Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party made big gains in the first round of legislative elections on Sunday, winning an estimated 34% of votes, nearly double their 18% in the first round in 2022. French President Emmanuel Macron has called on voters to block the far right in the second round of voting on July 7. 

France’s high-stakes legislative elections propelled the far-right National Rally to a strong but not decisive lead in the first-round vote Sunday, polling agencies projected, dealing another slap to centrist President Emmanuel Macron.