Hundreds Celebrate In Paris As Far-right Loses Sway In Election Day Exit Poll<\/p>\n
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France\u2019s far-right National Rally has failed to become the largest party at parliamentary elections, according to shock exit poll results, which forecast the left-wing New Popular Front coalition is in pole position.<\/p>\n
In what would be a bitter blow for Marine Le Pen, an exit poll by Ipsos suggested the NFP coalition will win between 172 and 192 seats, with the Emmanuel Macron-backing Ensemble group taking second place and Ms Le Pen\u2019s party in third place when the results are confirmed on Monday morning.<\/p>\n
Following the exit polls, prime minister Gabriel Attal said he would offer his resignation.<\/p>\n
Mr Macron took even his own allies by surprise in calling the snap election last month, after the anti-immigration National Rally made huge gains in European elections. <\/p>\n
The president gambled that French voters would block the far right as they have in the past.<\/p>\n
But the National Rally instead won a larger share than ever in the first round of voting on 30 June. <\/p>\n
More than 200 candidates from the Macron-backing Ensemble alliance and left-wing New Popular Front stepped down in seats otherwise facing a three-way battle, in a so-called \u201crepublican front\u201d against the far right.<\/p>\n
Spain\u2019s PM hails \u2018rejection of extreme right\u2019 in France and UKSpain\u2019s prime minister Pedro Sanchez has hailed what he described as \u201cthe rejection of the extreme right\u201d in both France and Britain.<\/p>\n
He wrote on X\/Twitter: \u201cThis week, two of the largest countries in Europe have chosen the same path that Spain chose a year ago: rejection of the extreme right and a decisive commitment to a social left that addresses people\u2019s problems with serious and brave policies. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe United Kingdom and France have said YES to progress and social advancement and NO to the regression in rights and freedoms. There is no agreement or government with the extreme right.\u201d<\/p>\n
Andy Gregory8 July 2024 01:01<\/p>\n
Pollster points to far right\u2019s own shortcomings over disappointing election resultMarine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella attributed their National Rally party\u2019s setback to what Bardella termed the \u201cdisgraceful alliance\u201d of leftists, who he said had caricatured the party and disrespected its voters.<\/p>\n
But Ipsos pollster Brice Teinturier pointed to the party\u2019s own shortcomings, including revelations before the run-off that several of its candidates had expressed xenophobic views, raising questions over whether the party had really ditched its more toxic past.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened is also that RN candidates themselves showed in this campaign that they either were not ready or had in their ranks candidates that are antisemitic, xenophobic or homophobic,\u201d Mr Teinturier told France 2 television.<\/p>\n
Andy Gregory8 July 2024 00:28<\/p>\n
What could happen next?France\u2019s constitution states that president Emmanuel Macron will decide who to ask to form a government. <\/p>\n
But whoever he picks faces a confidence vote in the National Assembly, which will convene for 15 days from 18 July \u2013\u00a0meaning Mr Macron needs to name someone acceptable to a majority of parliamentarians.<\/p>\n
The president will likely be hoping to peel off Socialists and Greens from the leftist alliance, isolating Jean-Luc Melenchon\u2019s France Unbowed (LFI), to form a centre-left coalition with his own bloc.<\/p>\n
However, there was no sign of an imminent break-up of the New Popular Front at this stage.<\/p>\n
Another possibility is a government of technocrats that would manage day-to-day affairs but not oversee structural changes. But it is not clear that the left-wing bloc would support this scenario, which would still require the backing of parliament.<\/p>\n
Andy Gregory7 July 2024 23:59<\/p>\n
Which notable results have been declared so far?Outgoing prime minister Gabriel Attal has retained his National Assembly seat in Hauts-de-Seine, according to results published by France\u2019s interior ministry.<\/p>\n
Under the banner of the New Popular Front, former Socialist president Francois Hollande also defeated his National Rally opponent by 43 per cent of the vote to 31 per cent, despite the Macron-backed Republican candidate refusing to withdraw in the second round of voting.<\/p>\n
Aurelien Rousseau, a former Macron-allied health minister who resigned recently in protest against the controversial far right-backed immigration bill, was also elected under the New Popular Front banner.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, former health minister Olivier Veran \u2013 who held the prominent post during the Covid pandemic \u2013 was defeated by the leftist candidate in Isere.<\/p>\n
Andy Gregory7 July 2024 23:47<\/p>\n
Bernie Sanders congratulates French leftFormer US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders has congratulated the French left \u201cfor taking on right-wing extremism and winning\u201d.<\/p>\n
Andy Gregory7 July 2024 23:31<\/p>\n
Declared results widely mirror exit polling, reports suggestLe Monde is reporting the results of 558 of the 577 seats up for grabs in France\u2019s National Assembly election, citing the interior ministry.<\/p>\n
According to the newspaper, the New Popular Front alliance has so far secured 177, while Emmanuel Macron\u2019s Ensemble coalition has 157, and the National Rally and its allies have 141.<\/p>\n
(Le Monde, citing France\u2019s Interior Ministry)Andy Gregory7 July 2024 23:23<\/p>\n
Clashes with riot police in Paris and NantesThere have been clashes with riot police in Paris and Nantes, with tear gas fired in the latter city, images taken by photojournalists suggest.<\/p>\n
French riot police run during clashes with demonstrators at the Place de la Republique in Paris (REUTERS\/Yara Nardi)<\/p>\n
A protester throws a projectile near burning bicycles at the Place de la Republique (REUTERS\/Yara Nardi)<\/p>\n
Demonstrators clash with anti riot police in Nantes (LOIC VENANCE\/AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n
Anti-riot police officers charge protesters during a demonstration in Nantes (LOIC VENANCE\/AFP via Getty Images)Andy Gregory7 July 2024 23:14<\/p>\n
Attal signals he will stay on as PM during Paris OlympicsDespite intending to tender his resignation, French prime minister Gabriel Attal has signalled he will remain in the post during the upcoming Paris Olympics and for as long as needed \u2013 given that polling projections show that no party has won an outright majority. <\/p>\n
There likely will be weeks of intense political negotiations to choose a new prime minister and form a government.<\/p>\n
(REUTERS)Andy Gregory7 July 2024 22:57<\/p>\n
Latest Ipsos projections in French electionHere is the most recent projection from Ipsos:<\/p>\n
The leftist New Popular Front is expected to win between 177 and 192 seats, the Macron-backing Ensemble could win between 152 and 158, while the National Rally and its far-right allies are expected to take 138 to 145 seats.<\/p>\n
Andy Gregory7 July 2024 22:45<\/p>\n
Jubilation and relief in Paris at exit poll resultsIn Paris\u2019s Stalingrad square, supporters on the left cheered and applauded as exit poll projections showing the alliance ahead \u2013 and the far right in third place \u2013 flashed up on a giant screen. <\/p>\n
Cries of joy also rang out in Republique plaza in eastern Paris, with people spontaneously hugging strangers and several minutes of nonstop applause after the projections landed.<\/p>\n
But France\u2019s far right nevertheless appears to have made significant gains on the 89 seats it currently holds, with Ipsos\u2019 projections suggesting National Rally could win between 132 to 152 seats.<\/p>\n
People attend a gathering for the election night following the second round results of France’s legislative election at Republique Square in Paris (AFP via Getty Images)Andy Gregory7 July 2024 22:31<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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