French President Emmanuel Macron has announced the dissolution of the lower house of parliament and called for new general elections after his party faced a significant defeat by the far-right National Rally in the European Union parliamentary elections. The new parliamentary elections will be held in two rounds on June 30 and July 7.
This decision follows the release of projected results showing the far-right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, achieving a substantial victory with around 31-32% of the vote. Macron’s pro-European Renaissance party is estimated to have secured only about 15%, less than half the share obtained by the National Rally. The preliminary results, reported by French opinion poll institutes, signal a historic shift in voter sentiment.
Macron, who had already lost his majority in the National Assembly in 2022, described his decision to dissolve parliament as “serious,” emphasizing his commitment to democratic principles. “This shows my confidence in our democracy, in letting the sovereign people have their say,” he stated. He promised to address the concerns reflected in the electoral outcome, saying, “In the next few days, I’ll be saying what I think is the right direction for the nation. I’ve heard your message, your concerns, and I won’t leave them unanswered.”
The results are a major setback for Macron, who has been a vocal proponent of stronger European integration, particularly in defense and economic policies to support Ukraine and bolster the EU’s autonomy. Conversely, the National Rally’s lead candidate, Jordan Bardella, advocates for stricter national controls on immigration and a reduction in EU regulatory power, particularly on climate policies. Despite the party’s anti-EU stance in the past, it now seeks to influence EU policies from within rather than leaving the Union.
Bardella responded to the results by stating, “Tonight, our compatriots have expressed a desire for change. Emmanuel Macron is tonight a weakened president.”
In addition to the rise of the far-right, the center-left Socialist Party also experienced a resurgence, garnering around 14% of the vote. The Socialists have focused their campaign on more ambitious climate policies and greater protection for European businesses and workers.
The French elections are part of a broader vote to elect members of the European Parliament, which consists of 720 seats. France is responsible for electing 81 of those members. The significant gains by the National Rally mark a continuation of its success in previous EU elections, surpassing its 2019 results when it narrowly led Macron’s party by one percentage point with 23% of the vote.
