Results of the first round
According to the Ministry of the Interior, the far-right Reagrupament Nacional (RN) party and its allies have obtained 33% of the national popular vote in the first round of the parliamentary elections. The left-wing alliance New Popular Front (NFP) came in second with 28%, while President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Junts coalition won 20% of the vote. These results make it the first time that RN has won more than 20% of the vote in a parliamentary election, putting the party within reach of forming the country’s first far-right government.
Final results and composition of parliament
The final results and the exact composition of the 577-seat parliament are still unclear. RN’s chances of taking power will depend on the political agreement its rivals make in the coming days, ahead of Sunday’s runoff. In the past, traditional parties of the right and left have reached agreements to withdraw candidates from the second round to avoid splitting the vote against RN. But the tactical voting strategy known as the “Republican front” to block the RN is less certain than ever.
French electoral system
The French electoral system requires a candidate to obtain more than 50% of the votes cast to win one of the 577 seats in the National Assembly in the first round. If no candidate achieves this majority, the two candidates with the most votes advance to a second round. This system can favor larger parties and make it harder for smaller parties to gain parliamentary representation.
2024 elections
With the largest turnout since the 1980s and fewer candidates, the 2024 election will feature a record number of “triangular” candidates. That means many constituencies could have a three-way race in the runoff. This situation may favor the party with the largest share of votes in the first round, as the opposition vote is split.
