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Helen Livingstone (now); Lili Bayer, Vivian Ho and Sarah Haque (earlier)

Leftwing coalition wins most parliamentary seats in France – as it happened

Emmanuel Macron National Rally Marine Le Pen France Jordan Bardella RN Immigration the National Assembly the National Rally
Voters react as they listen to the announcement of the projected results of the second round of France's crunch legislative elections.
Voters react as they listen to the announcement of the projected results of the second round of France's crunch legislative elections. Photograph: Loïc Venance/AFP/Getty Images

Closing summary

This blog is closing but we’ll restart in a few hours to bring you all the latest developments as France wakes up to a new political landscape. In the meantime here are the latest developments:

  • The leftwing NFP alliance became the biggest force in the French parliament but failed to win an outright majority in a surprise result that saw the far right National Rally (RN) drop to third place. The NFP won 182 seats in the 577-seat parliament, President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance won 163 seats and the RN won 143 seats.

  • Prime minister Gabriel Attal said he would hand in his resignation to president Macron on Monday morning, but added that he could stay in place for the short term, if required, while a new government was formed. “Tonight, a new era begins,” he said, adding that France’s destiny would play out “more than ever in parliament”.

  • The result means a hung parliament in a country not used to coalition government and which in modern times has always had a dominant party in parliament. Jockeying for the position of prime minister began immediately but there is no clear candidate.

  • Far right leader Marine Le Pen, who intends to run for president for the far right in 2027, said the far right’s rise to power would continue. She said: “The tide is rising. It did not rise high enough this time, but it continues to rise and our victory has simply been deferred.”

  • RN leader Jordan Bardella called the cooperation between anti-RN forces a “disgraceful alliance” that would paralyse France.

  • Macron can choose who he wants as prime minister but many within his alliance have said they will not work with France Unbowed, the hard left party led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon which is the largest in the NFP alliance. The president could ask a Socialist or Greens MP but they may not be willing. A centrist candidate could also be an unpopular choice as Macron’s alliance lost so many seats in the election.

  • Mélenchon said Macron “must invite the New Popular Front to govern”. “The will of the people must be strictly respected,” he said.

  • Raphael Glucksmann, from the Socialist party and part of the NFP, urged his alliance partners to act like “grown-ups”. “We’re ahead, but we’re in a divided parliament,” he said. “We’re going to have to talk, to discuss, to engage in dialogue.”

What do the papers say?

Here are some of the headlines from the French and UK media:

The Guardian says “Surprise surge for left pushes French far right into third”

Le Figaro writes “The RN fails, the left imposes itself on Macron”

La Libération says “C’est OUF”, meaning “phew” or “madness”:

The Times says “Hard-left leader claims victory in French election shock”:

The Financial Times says “France’s leftist alliance on track to halt rise of Le Pen’s RN, polls show”.

And now the final results have arrived with the leftwing NFP alliance on 182, Macron’s centrists on 163 and the far-right RN and its allies on 143:

The results mean no bloc has an outright majority in parliament – 289 out of the 577 seats are needed for that – meaning there are tumultuous days ahead for France.

Unlike neighbouring Germany and Italy, modern France has never had a parliament with no dominant party and the country has no tradition of coalition governments.

Coalition talks will be needed – under the constitution no fresh elections can take place for another year – but deep divides over tax, pensions, green investment and immigration among other issues will make them extremely fractious.

On the left there is no obvious candidate for prime minister and Macron has said he will not work with the hard-left France Unbowed party, the largest party in the leftwing alliance which won the most votes.

He could reach out to the Socialists and the Greens but they may not be willing to enter into a government with such an unpopular leader.

Mainstream parties could form different ad hoc alliances to vote through individual pieces of legislation. But Macron has tried this strategy since losing his majority in 2022, with limited success, having to resort on numerous occasions to special constitutional powers such as the unpopular article 49.3 to push legislation through without a parliamentary vote.

If no political agreement is possible, the president could also appoint a technocratic government, made up of economists, academics, diplomats and business or trade union leaders. France has never had such a government before.

Updated

“Deadlock” is the most likely outcome of the elections, with no “quick solution” likely in the coming days, according to economist and international law professor Armin Steinbach of HEC Paris business school. He says:

France has no political culture of making coalitions and compromises, like Germany or Italy. That is why it feels like a crisis for the French.

He suggests two main scenarios, first a minority government led by the left wing, leading to a “cohabitation”, in which the president and prime minister come from rival camps. He suggests the NFP could propose a moderate leftwing candidate such as the rather unpopular former president François Hollande. Steinbach continues:

Much depends on whether the NFP will stay united and not break up into old conflicts.

A second scenario could see Macron’s centrist alliance and the Republicans form a coalition minority government.

This would be very unpopular and may trigger protests because he [Macron] clearly lost the election.

On the president, Steinbach adds:

With his self-confidence he will probably stay on as president until 2027. In other countries, the head of state would resign after such a defeat. With this defeat, he lacks the legitimacy to appoint a new government.

Updated

With results firming up, Elabe has released its latest projections, which show the NFP leftwing alliance on 182 seats, Macron’s centrist Together alliance on 163 and the far-right RN on 143:

Updated

The euro fell on Sunday after the vote projections were announced, Reuters reports.

“We should get a brief respite in the market ... because we’re not seeing an extremist RN majority take place, but it’s likely to lead to political gridlock at least until the autumn of 2025,” said Aneeka Gupta, macroeconomic research director at WisdomTree.

More reaction to the election result from across Europe, this time from Spain, where prime minister Pedro Sanchez writes:

This week, two of the largest countries in Europe have chosen the same path that Spain chose a year ago: rejection of the extreme right and a decisive commitment to a social left that addresses people’s problems with serious and brave policies.

The UK and France have said YES to progress and social advancement and NO to the regression of rights and freedoms. They have said to an agreement or a government with the extreme right.

A split screen view of reaction to results tonight showing left and right:

A senior member of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party says that the election result means that France has “avoided the worst” but added that President Emmanuel Macron has been “politically weakened”.

“The worst is avoided, the RN cannot form a governing majority,” Nils Schmid, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) foreign policy spokesman in the German parliament, told the Funke press group.

Despite his weakened position Macron would retain a “central role” due to the fact that no party can claim an outright majority, he continued.

Forming a government will be “tricky” and parties must show “flexibility” and an “ability to compromise”, said Schmid.

Germany is used to unwieldy coalitions and lengthy negotiations; Scholz’s government is made up of his Social Democratic party plus the Greens and the liberal FDP.

Who would be the leftwing candidate for prime minister?

President Emmanuel Macron can choose whoever he wants as the next prime minister according to the constitution, but in practice he needs to chose someone acceptable to parliament – usually the leader of the largest party.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of hard-left France Unbowed (LFI), the biggest party in the leftwing bloc, which has come out on top in the polls, says prime minister Gabriel Attal “has to go” and that the French left is “ready to govern”.

But it’s unclear who the alliance’s candidate to be prime minister would be, given that Mélenchon is a divisive figure even within his own party.

LFI lawmaker Clementine Autain called on the NFP alliance to gather on Monday to decide on a suitable candidate for prime minister.

The alliance, “in all its diversity”, needed “to decide on a balance point to be able to govern”, she said, AFP reported, adding neither former Socialist president François Hollande nor Mélenchon would do.

The leader of the Socialist Party (PS) Olivier Faure urged “democracy” within the leftwing alliance so they could work together.

“To move forward together we need democracy within our ranks,” he said.

“No outside remarks will come and impose themselves on us,” he said in a thinly veiled criticism of Mélenchon.

Updated

Some snap analysis on the results from the Economist’s Paris bureau chief:

Elabe is projecting 184-186 seats for the left-green New Popular Front.

More images from around France tonight.

France’s progressives keep out the far right, but what could happen next?

The New Popular Front (NFP), a left-green alliance dominated by the radical left Unbowed France (LFI) of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, has emerged as the shock winner of France’s snap election.

While the winner was a surprise, the result is as expected: a hung parliament of three opposing blocs with hugely different platforms and no tradition of working together – and, under the terms of France’s constitution, no new elections for a year.

So with Macron having promised not to step down until presidential elections in 2027, what’s likely to happen next?

Here’s a look at the options.

‘We were so scared’: France’s centre and leftwing voters breathe sigh of relief

A nervous energy rippled through the crowd gathered at Lyon’s Place de la République. As the final polls closed in the most momentous election in recent memory, hundreds of people milled about, waiting to find out what lie in store for France.

Just after 8pm, Florent Martins came running through the plaza, mobile in hand. “We won,” the 23-year-old yelled out, his voice shaking with disbelief as those around him exploded into cheers and hearty applause. “The left won!”

Exit polls on Sunday suggested that a broad leftwing alliance was on track to become the biggest force in the French parliament in a shock win.

“It’s so good,” said Martins. “I’ve been in a panic all day.” Nearby, Veronique Leporte, 69, described the results as stunning. “It’s a huge relief,” she said. “We were so scared.”

It was a sentiment echoed across the country. In Paris cries of joy rang out in République plaza, as the projections sparked spontaneous hugs among strangers and several minutes of applause.

Read the full story.

For those who followed the blog earlier in the evening, when we heard from voters in Paris’ 16th district – casting ballots in the city’s 14th constituency – the winner in that race between Benjamin Haddad, from Macron’s camp, and Louis Piquet, who was backed by the far right, was Haddad, who was re-elected with 73%.

Updated

Left-green alliance at 177-192 seats: updated Ipsos projection

The latest Ipsos projections:

Left-green New Popular Front: 177-192 seats

Macron’s allies: 152-158 seats

Far right National Rally and allies: 138-145 seats

Paris this evening.

And here’s the latest Ifop projection for the alliances:

Left-green New Popular Front: 187-198

Macron’s allies: 161-169

Far right National Rally and allies: 135-143

Ifop published an updated projected seat breakdown by individual parties.

Here are more images from around France tonight.

Updated

Summary of the evening thus far

For those catching up now, here’s what you need to know:

  • Despite opinion polls during the campaign predicting the far right will win the most seats, the left-green New Popular Front is in the lead in the French legislative election, according to projections.

  • Emmanuel Macron’s allies are in second place. The prime minister, Gabriel Attal, who is a Macron ally, said he will offer his resignation.

  • The far right National Rally and its allies are behind in third place, the projections show.

  • France’s national assembly has 577 seats, with 289 seats needed for an absolute majority.

  • Ipsos’ projection is now putting the New Popular Front at 171-187 seats, Macron’s allies at 152-163 seats and the National Rally and its allies at 134-152 seats.

  • Ifop is projecting that the New Popular Front has 188-199 seats, Macron’s allies 164-169 seats and the National Rally and its allies 135-143.

Updated

Left-green alliance has 171-187 seats: Ipsos projection

And here are the latest Ipsos numbers.

Left-green New Popular Front: 171-187 seats

Macron’s allies: 152-163 seats

Far right National Rally and allies: 134-152 seats

Updated

Left-green alliance at 188-199 seats: Ifop projection

Here’s the latest projection from Ifop:

Left-green New Popular Front: 188-199 seats

Macron’s allies: 164-169 seats

Far right National Rally and allies: 135-143

Updated

Here are the latest images from around France, as voters digest the surprise projections that put a left-green alliance in the lead and the far right in third place.

The hard left France Unbowed’s Jean-Luc Mélenchon said that “our victory will be scrutinised everywhere, particularly by leftists around the world.”

“In a few days, many will try to act as if nothing had happened. But we won, thanks to a political line capable of bringing the people together,” he said.

The far right National Rally’s Marine Le Pen, who is expected to run for president in 2027, has said that victory for the party “is only delayed.”

Updated

French prime minister says he will offer resignation

Gabriel Attal, the prime minister and Macron ally, is speaking now.

He said that he will offer his resignation.

Updated

The secretary-general of Macron’s party Renaissance, Stéphane Séjourné, has stressed the commitment to defending republican values, including the fight against racism and anti-Semitism.

He said he’s open to working with republican parties and said that France Unbowed’s Jean-Luc Mélenchon and some of his allies cannot govern France.

Updated

Meanwhile, there’s disappointment in the European far right, with the leader of Portugal’s far right Chega already weighing in.

'Happy in Warsaw': Polish prime minister reacts to French projections

Donald Tusk, the Polish prime minister, said there’s “disappointment” in Moscow and “relief” in Kyiv.

“Enough to be happy in Warsaw,” he added.

The Ecologists’ Marine Tondelier is celebrating tonight’s projections.

“Tonight, social justice won. Tonight, environmental justice won. Tonight, the people won. And it’s only just started!” she said.

Far right politician Marion Maréchal says on BFMTV said that this national assembly is not representative of what the French people think.

François Hollande, a socialist former French president, is speaking now after having won a seat in the national assembly.

He thanked all the left parties and the people who are not left wing supporters but wanted to make the election result clear.

The result gives satisfaction but also responsibility, the former president said.

Updated

Pollster Ifop has an interesting breakdown of projected seats by individual party.

National Rally: 120-130

Renaissance: 107-115

France Unbowed: 85-94

Socialist party: 55-65

Republicans: 60-63

And here are the updated projections from Elabe.

Left-green New Popular Front: 178-205 seats

Macron’s allies: 157-174 seats

Far right National Rally and allies: 113-148 seats

Updated

Several key figures have held onto their seats tonight including the former prime minister, Élisabeth Borne, in the Calvados area and the interior minister, Gérald Darmanin, in the north.

New Popular Front at 180-205 seats: Ifop projection

Here are updated projections from pollster Ifop.

Left-green New Popular Front: 180-205

Macron’s allies: 164-174

Far right National Rally and allies: 130-145

Updated

François Hollande, a former French president, is set to win a seat in the national assembly, according to preliminary data from the interior ministry.

The far right National Rally’s Jordan Bardella is addressing his supporters now, after projections put his party in third place – despite leading in opinion polls during the campaign.

He thanked voters who supported the National Rally and its supporters, saying that an alliance of dishonour and dangerous alliances prevailed. These alliances are putting France in the hands of the extreme left, the far right leader said.

Updated

More images from around France as voters react to the surprise projected outcome of the second round of elections.

Olivier Faure, first secretary of the French Socialist party, is now speaking to supporters.

This vote gives the New Popular Front an immense responsibility, he said.

Updated

The first projections have surprised France, putting a left-green alliance in the lead despite opinion polls during the campaign indicating that the far right was set to get the most votes.

The hard left France Unbowed’s Jean-Luc Mélenchon addressed supporters, declaring that Emmanuel Macron should call on the New Popular Front to govern.

Updated

Some more projections, from Elabe:

Left-green New Popular Front: 175-205 seats

Macron’s allies: 150-175 seats

Far right National Rally and allies: 115-150

Updated

And here are the projections from pollster Ifop.

Like Ipsos, the Ifop projection also puts the left-green New Popular Front in first place.

Left-green New Popular Front: 180-215

Macron’s allies: 150-180

Far right National Rally and allies: 120-150 seats

Updated

Left-green alliance takes the lead: first projections

The polls are closed in France and the first projections have been published.

France’s national assembly has 577 seats, with 289 seats needed for an absolute majority.

Here is the first projected seat distribution, from Ipsos. It shows the left in the lead, in a major shift compared to opinion polls during the campaign.

Left-green New Popular Front: 172-192 seats

Emmanuel Macron’s allies: 150-170 seats

Far right National Rally and allies: 132-152 seats

Just a few minutes until the first projections in the second round of the French legislative elections. Stay tuned for updates, reactions and analysis over the coming hours.

Updated

Less than 20 minutes until the first projections.

In Lyon on Sunday, dozens of shops had barricaded their windows, bracing themselves for the risk of violent protests.

Around 30,000 police have been deployed across the country as France’s interior minister voiced fears that some would seize on the result to cause “mayhem”.

France’s national assembly has 577 seats, with 289 seats needed for an absolute majority.

We’ll know the first projections at 8pm local time.

We’re waiting for the first projections.

The projections should arrive in approximately 52 minutes.

Stay tuned!

Here’s more of what I heard from voters outside a Paris polling station earlier today.

Béatrice, a 39-year old voter, said “it’s worrying to see the rise of extremes in France.”

She said the decision to call an election was not a good one and has “shown a polarisation.”

“It’s a delicate situation,” she said.

Natalie, another voter, said “I think the country will be very difficult to govern, because there are two extremist blocs opposing each other.”

She expressed skepticism about politicians and the state of French democracy. “I have little regard for these politicians, it’s just a job they do to protect their interests, their posts, their privileges – the interest of France slips behind all that, unfortunately.”

Ipsos is estimating the final turnout at 67%.

Updated

ELABE is estimating that the final turnout today will be at 67.1%.

As everyone waits for results, Emmanuel Macron is set to soon meet allies, including the prime minister, Gabriel Attal.

View from a Paris polling place: frustration and fear of far right

Hello from Paris.

I spent time this afternoon outside a polling station in the city’s 16th district.

In this area, two candidates are facing off in today’s second round of elections: Benjamin Haddad from Emmanuel Macron’s camp and Louis Piquet, who is backed by the far right.

In the first round, Haddad led with 47.71%. He was followed by Patrick Dray from the Republicains with 17.7% – who withdrew ahead of the second round – and then Piquet with 17.56%.

As I stood outside, a steady stream of people came in and out.

22-year old Adrien said he “voted for the presidential majority.”

His reason: opposing the far right. “I am descended from Spaniards and Romanians, so there’s no chance I would vote for a party like that,” he said.

He also said he believed Emmanuel Macron is doing “a good job, even if he gets a lot of criticism.”

Philippe, an elderly voter, said “these elections could have been avoided.”

He criticised Emmanuel Macron’s decision to call the elections, calling them a “waste of time.”

Asked who he voted for, he pointed to a poster of Haddad, a Macron ally, without much enthusiasm. “I did this, but…” he said, not finishing the sentence.

Next to him, another voter, Genviève, interjected: “He has a good reputation.”

Philippe agreed on the reputation, but muttered: “It won’t change much.”

The polls take place two days before France’s football team takes on Spain in the semi-final of the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany.

Earlier this week, Kylian Mbappé branded the first-round results of France’s snap parliamentary election “catastrophic”, and urged voters to turn out in force and fend off the threat of a National Rally-controlled government when polls opened for the runoff vote on Sunday.

In the latest of several interventions by members of the France national football team, the influential captain Mbappé warned that the country must take its chance to ensure the far right, anti-immigration party is unable to seize power in what has become a tumultuous political battle.

“It’s an urgent situation,” he said when asked for his thoughts on a parlous state of affairs that saw National Rally win 33% of the popular vote in the first round.

“We cannot let our country fall into the hands of these people. It is pressing. We saw the results, it’s catastrophic. We really hope it’s going to change: that everyone is going to rally together, go and vote, and vote for the correct party.”

His remarks drew a strong rebuke from Le Pen, who said, despite being a “very good” footballer, Mbappe should not “lecture” French voters.

“French people are fed up with being lectured and advised on how to vote,” Le Pen told CNN in an interview on Friday.

Updated

Voter turnout in France election at 59.7%, a major increase from 2022

The voter turnout in the second round of the French parliamentary election was at 59.71% as of 5pm local time, a drastic increase from a corresponding figure of 38.11% in the last election in 2022, the Interior Ministry said in a statement.

Very unusually, the turnout was also slightly up on the first round vote last Sunday – 59.39% – suggesting the final figure could be the highest for 50 years.

This comes as prime minister Gabriel Attal beseeched French voters to stand against Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN).

“Today the danger is a majority dominated by the extreme right and that would be catastrophic,” Attal, who may be tasked with trying to hold together a caretaker government, said in a final interview on Friday.

Read more here:

Pro-independence candidate in New Caledonia wins a parliament seat

In the restive French Pacific territory of New Caledonia, a pro-independence Indigenous Kanak candidate has won a seat in France’s parliament over a loyalist candidate in the second round of voting.

Emmanuel Tjibaou is a political novice and a son of a well-known Kanak independence leader, Jean-Marie Tjibaou, who was assassinated in 1989. He is the first pro-independence candidate to win a seat in the National Assembly since 1986.

Indigenous Kanaks have long sought to break free from France, which took the archipelago in 1853. Polls closed earlier in New Caledonia because of a curfew imposed in response to the violence that flared last month and left nine people dead. There was anger over an attempt to amend the French constitution and change voting lists, which Indigenous Kanaks feared would further marginalise them.

Right-wing candidate and French loyalist Nicolas Metzdorf has won New Caledonia’s second parliament seat.

French artists, DJs and musicians unite to fight threat of far-right government.

More than 1,200 artists, DJs and promoters from the French music industry have come together in a bid to galvanise “the world of the night” into political action and to protest at the possibility of the first far-right French government since the second world war.

Members of the Front Électronique (FE) have organised live debates on video streaming service Twitch and free concerts, and released a fundraising album Siamo Tutti Antifascisti Vol.1 (We are all Anti-fascists) featuring 38 artists. The compilation is described as a “call to arms”.

Read the rest of the story here:

Here are the latest photos of voters in polling stations across France:

Voters in Paris concerned about future

“The individual freedoms, tolerance and respect for others is what at stake today,” Thomas Bertrand, a 45-year-old voter who works in advertising, told the AP.

Pierre Lubin, a 45-year-old business manager, was worried about whether the polls would produce an effective government. “This is a concern for us,” Lubin said. “Will it be a technical government or a coalition government made up of [different] political forces?”

Valerie Dodeman, a 55-year-old legal expert, said she is pessimistic about the future. “No matter what happens, I think this election will leave people disgruntled on all sides,” Dodeman said.

Outside Paris, Frederic Maillard, a doctor from the central town of Tours said, “I’m mad at the government and in particular at the president that they have taken this irresponsible risk.”

Ranaivoatisan Voahirana, who works in the medical sector, said she voted for the government’s candidate but was “almost certain” the National Rally would win.

“People won’t bother to hide their racism any more”, she said.

Frederic Wallet, a construction worker, said he would submit an empty ballot as he couldn’t identify with any of the choices on offer. “Good luck France, it will be a mess,” he said.

Updated

‘Our backs are against the wall’: French grassroots mobilise against far right.

Activist groups have sprung up across the country in efforts to defeat National Rally in second round of elections.

“This is the country we love. It’s built us up; it’s made us who we are,” said Akli Alliouat, one of the organisers. “And I find it hard to accept that this France of ours is tipping into hatred, contempt and inequality.”

Read the rest of the story here:

President Macron votes in second round of election

French President Emmanuel Macron has voted in high-stakes legislative elections that could force him to share power with the rising far right.

Macron called the surprise vote after the anti-immigration, nationalist National Rally made huge gains in the 9 June European elections, taking a huge gamble that French voters would block the far-right party as they always have in the past.

But the National Rally instead won a larger share than ever in the first round on June 30, and its leader Marine Le Pen called on voters to give the party an absolute majority in Round 2.

The elections could leave France with its first far-right government since the Nazi occupation in the second world war if the National Rally wins an absolute majority and its 28-year-old leader Jordan Bardella becomes prime minister.

Macron cast his ballot in the seaside resort town of La Touquet, along with his wife, Brigitte. Prime minister Gabriel Attal cast his ballot in the Paris suburb of Vanves Sunday morning.

Le Pen is not voting, because her district in northern France is not holding a second round after she won the seat outright last week.

Across France, 76 other candidates secured seats in the first round, including 39 from her National Rally and 32 from the leftist New Popular Front alliance. Two candidates from Macron’s centrists list also won their seats in the first round.

The elections wrap up Sunday at 8 pm (6pm GMT) in mainland France and on the island of Corsica. Initial polling projections are expected Sunday night, with early official results expected late Sunday and early Monday.

Opening summary

Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the second round of France’s parliamentary election.

Voter turnout in France’s parliamentary run-off election on Sunday rose sharply from the last time in 2022, in a ballot that could see the far-right National Rally (RN) emerge as the strongest force.

Turnout stood at 26.3% by around noon (10am GMT), up from 18.99% during the second voting round in 2022, the interior ministry said, highlighting the population’s extreme interest in an election that has highlighted polarised views in France. It was the highest midday turnout level since 1981, pollster Harris Interactive and Ipsos said.

Voting closes at 6pm (4pm GMT) in towns and small cities and 8pm (6pm GMT) in bigger cities. Pollsters will deliver initial projections based on early counts from a sample of voting stations at 8pm.

Although the RN is expected to win the most seats in the National Assembly, the latest opinion polls indicated it may fall short of an absolute majority that would outright hand Marine Le Pen’s 28-year-old protege Jordan Bardella the prime minister’s job.

A hung parliament would severely dent President Emmanuel Macron’s authority and herald a prolonged period of instability and policy deadlock in the euro zone’s second-biggest economy.

Should the nationalist, Eurosceptic RN secure a majority, it would usher in France’s first far-right government since the second world war and send shock waves through the European Union at a time populist parties are strengthening support across the continent.

Here’s what you need to know about the election so far:

  • French President Emmanuel Macron took a huge gamble in dissolving parliament and calling for the elections after his centrists were trounced in European elections on 9 June.

  • The first round on 30 June saw the largest gains ever for the anti-immigration, nationalist National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen. Sunday’s vote determines which party controls the National Assembly and who will be prime minister. If support is further eroded for Macron’s weak centrist majority, he will be forced to share power with parties opposed to most of his pro-business, pro-European Union policies.

  • Opposition parties made hurried deals ahead of Sunday’s second round of voting to try to block a landslide victory for Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally in the legislative elections, as she said her party would lead the government only if it won an absolute majority – or close to it.

  • An unprecedented number of candidates who qualified for Round 2 from the left-wing alliance of the New Popular Front and from President Emmanuel Macron’s weakened centrists have stepped aside to favor the candidate most likely to win against a National Rally opponent. According to a count by French newspaper Le Monde, 218 candidates who were supposed to compete in the second round have pulled out. Of those, 130 were on the left, and 82 came from the Macron-led centrist alliance Ensemble.

  • Racism and antisemitism have marred the electoral campaign, along with Russian cybercampaigns, and more than 50 candidates reported being physically attacked – highly unusual for France. Some luxury boutiques along the Champs Elysees boulevard, including the Louis Vuitton store, barricaded windows and Darmanin said he was deploying 30,000 police amid concerns of violent protests should the far-right win.

  • A longtime pariah for many due to its history of racism and antisemitism, the RN has broadened its support beyond its traditional base along the Mediterranean coast and the deindustrialised north, tapping into voter anger at Macron over straitened household budgets, security, and immigration worries. “French people have a real desire for change,” Le Pen told TF1 TV on Wednesday.

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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Interactive: What Earth’s 4.54 billion-year history would look like in a single year
As a kid, it was tough for me to grasp the massive time scale of Earth’s history. Now, with nearly two decades of experience as a geologist, I think one of the best ways to understand our planet’s history and evolution is by condensing the entire timeline into a single…
The Conversation
The Conversation
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