France is facing the possibility of a hung parliament following Sunday's election, with early projections indicating that a leftist alliance has taken the lead ahead of the far-right National Rally led by Marine Le Pen. The outcome, if confirmed, would leave parliament divided into three major groups with vastly different platforms, potentially leading to a period of instability.
The leftist alliance is projected to win between 172 and 215 seats out of 577, while President Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance is expected to come in second with 150 to 180 seats. This result would be a blow to Macron, who called for the snap election in response to gains made by right-leaning and far-right parties in the European parliamentary elections.
On the other hand, Marine Le Pen's National Rally, which had been expected to win the election, is now forecasted to secure 115 to 155 seats. This outcome would be a major disappointment for the party, which has successfully tapped into voter grievances over issues such as cost-of-living, public services, immigration, and security.
The first official results are expected later on Sunday, with most constituencies likely to have reported by the early hours of Monday. Voters have expressed their dissatisfaction with Macron and his ruling alliance, leading to a shift in support towards the left-wing alliance and away from the far-right.
The constitution prevents a new parliamentary election for another year, making an immediate repeat vote impossible. The results of this election will have significant implications for the future of French politics and the direction of the country under a potentially divided parliament.