On Sunday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the dissolution of parliament and called for snap legislative elections after his centrist alliance was defeated by the far-right in the EU polls. The first round of elections for the National Assembly will be held on June 30, followed by the second round on July 7, Macron stated in a national address.
Macron acknowledged that the EU election results were “not a good result for parties who defend Europe.” He noted that the far-right parties in France, led by the National Rally (RN), garnered almost 40 percent of the vote.
“Far-right parties are progressing everywhere on the continent. It is a situation to which I cannot resign myself,” he said. “I decided to give you the choice… Therefore, I will dissolve the National Assembly tonight.”
He described this decision as serious but a demonstration of confidence in the French people. “Confidence in you, dear compatriots, and in the capacity of the French people to make the best choice for itself and future generations,” he added.
Projections from several polling firms indicated that the RN’s list, led by Jordan Bardella, 28, received between 32.3 and 33 percent of the vote, whereas Macron’s alliance, led by his Renaissance party, secured between 14.8 and 15.2 percent.
On Thursday, Macron warned that a significant far-right presence in the European Parliament could “block” the EU following this week’s elections.
These results are pivotal as attention shifts to France’s 2027 presidential election, in which Macron cannot run again. RN figurehead Marine Le Pen believes she has her strongest chance yet of winning the Elysee Palace.
