Cheers filled the streets of Paris on Sunday night as preliminary results indicated that the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) was poised to outperform the far-right National Rally (RN) party in France's snap parliamentary election. The NFP, a coalition of various left-leaning parties, secured 182 seats in the National Assembly, emerging as the largest group but falling short of an absolute majority.
The victory for the NFP was met with jubilation at the Place de la République, where a large crowd gathered to celebrate the alliance's success. Chants of “Young people screw the National Front” echoed through the square, reflecting the enthusiasm of the left-wing supporters.
Addressing his ecstatic followers near Stalingrad square, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the leader of France Unbowed, expressed relief at the election results, stating that the majority of the country had rejected the worst-case scenario. He hailed the civic mobilization that propelled the NFP to victory.
Despite the NFP's triumph, the parliament remains divided, with no party securing a majority. President Emmanuel Macron's centrist Ensemble alliance staged a remarkable comeback, winning 163 seats. The strong showing by the RN party in the first round of voting had raised concerns about the rise of the far right in France, but the final results underscored the electorate's determination to prevent far-right influence.
The outcome of the election has left France facing a period of uncertainty, with the possibility of a hung parliament looming large. Macron, who will need to appoint a prime minister from the party with the most seats, may find himself in a rare situation of having to form a coalition government with the left-wing alliance.
The mood was more subdued at RN party gatherings, as supporters grappled with the realization of coming in third in the election. Jordan Bardella, the leader of RN, expressed concerns about the uncertainty and instability that the results could bring.
As the dust settles on the election, France awaits the next steps in the political landscape, with the prospect of a coalition government and a new prime minister from the left-wing coalition on the horizon.
