Calls for Early Elections Following Right-Wing Surge
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!French President Emmanuel Macron has made the decision to dissolve the National Assembly and schedule early parliamentary elections for June 30 and July 7, as revealed in a video message posted on Twitter and reported by Le Figaro.
The move comes in response to the outcome of the recent European Parliament elections, where Macron’s pro-European list suffered a significant defeat, securing only half the number of seats compared to the right-wing National Rally.
Exit polls from France indicate a projected victory for the National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, with an anticipated 31.5% of the vote. This represents a substantial increase compared to centrist and liberal parties aligned with Macron, which garnered only 15.2% support (down from 22.4% in the previous European elections). Additionally, the emergence of another right-wing radical list, Reconquête, hovering near the 5% threshold, underscores the growing influence of the far right in French politics.
Macron expressed concern over the results, stating that they are unfavorable for pro-European parties and signal a broader trend of rising far-right sentiment across Europe.
In his address, Macron emphasized the need for decisive action in light of these developments, invoking Article 12 of the French Constitution to initiate consultations and ultimately call for early parliamentary elections.
“I cannot ignore the significance of these events,” Macron declared. “Therefore, I have decided to empower the citizens to shape our parliamentary future once again.”
The decree for the early elections is set to be signed shortly, with the first round scheduled for June 30 and the second round on July 7.
