Voting is underway in the first round of parliamentary elections, with a resurgent left seeking to frustrate President Macrons who seeks a majority.
French voters are voting in the first round of parliamentary elections, while President Emmanuel Macron seeks to secure a majority in the midst of a resurgent left-wing coalition.
Polling stations opened on Sunday at 8am (06:00 GMT), after voters from overseas territories cast their ballots earlier in the weekend. About 48 million citizens have the right to vote.
Elections for the 577 seats in the National Assembly of the lower house are a two-round process. More than 6,000 candidates, aged between 18 and 92, are running to win seats in the National Assembly in the first round of elections. Those who receive the most votes will advance to the second round on June 19.
Following Macron’s re-election in May, his centrist coalition is seeking an absolute majority that will allow it to deliver on its campaign promises, which include tax cuts and raising the retirement age from 62 to 65.
Recent opinion polls suggest Macron and his allies may have trouble winning more than half of parliamentary seats. A government with a broad, but not absolute, majority could still govern, but only by negotiating with lawmakers.
The main opposition force seems to be a newly formed coalition of leftists, greens and communists led by the hard left figure Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
Mélenchon urged voters to give a majority to his coalition and thus force Macron to appoint him prime minister, which would lead to a situation called “cohabitation”.
The left-wing platform includes a significant increase in the minimum wage, lowering the retirement age to 60 and blocking energy prices.
While the Mélenchon coalition could win more than 200 seats, current projections give the left little chance of winning a majority. Macron and his allies are expected to win between 260 and 320 seats, according to the latest polls.
The French far right, led by Marine Le Pen, is expected to win at least 15 seats, allowing it to form a parliamentary group and gain more powers in the assembly.
Parliamentary elections are traditionally a difficult race for far-right candidates, as rivals tend to side with each other in the second round to improve another candidate’s chances.
The Le Pen National Rally hopes to do better than it did five years ago, when it won eight seats.
The results may also be affected by expected record turnout. Pollsters say less than half of France’s 48.7 million voters are expected to vote.