France went to the polls on Sunday in the first round of the snap parliamentary elections. Following the results of the EU parliamentary elections, French president Emmanuel Macron shocked the entire nation when he called for snap elections and dissolved the national assembly.
With the EU vote, France saw an increase in far-right party National Rally emerged victorious. During the first round of the snap elections, the voter turnout reached a historic high as thousands flocked to the nearest polling booth to cast their vote.
With the change at the European Union, France may also see its first far-right government since World War Two, when it was under the Nazi regime.
Voter Turnout At Historic High
Polls opened at 8 AM local time and closed at 8 PM. As of 5 PM local time, the turnout stood at 60 percent, making it the highest turnout figure since the 1986 legislative elections.
During the snap poll two years ago, the turnout stood at 39.42 percent.
As per the latest figures, the voter turnout for 8 PM stands around 65.5 percent, as compared to the 47.5 percent of the 2022 legislative elections.
What Happens After Round 1?
The exit polls will be conducted which will show if France is headed for its first "cohabitation" government in 22 years.
As per the latest polls, the far-right National Rally led by Marine Le Pen and her protege Jordan Bardella has leading, followed by left-wing New Popular Front. President Macron's Renaissance is nowhere to be seen.
And if the results reflect the same mood as the exit polls, France will see a cohabitation government.
Usually in France, assembly elections are held right after the presidential vote. With this, the popular mood reflects and the Prime Minister and President are elected from the same party, forming a cohesive government.
However, with far-right parties surging in Europe and now France, Paris may just see its first cohabitation government in 22 years.
Cohabitation in French politics refers to having a president and a prime minister from two different parties.
The candidates who secure at least 12.5 percent of the vote in the first round will move on to the second round of voting on July 7.
