Paris: The snap elections in France have shifted the course of poll projections which indicated a majority for Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally’s (RN) in the race, leaving behind President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist bloc and left-wing alliance.
Earlier, Le Pen had exuded confidence in her party’s victory with a landslide majority and said that her protege Jordan Bardella would become the prime minister.
Joy Shifts to Disbelief
As per election results, the expected picture has changed with the National Rally on course to securing the third spot, falling behind a left-wing allianceat top and Macron’s centrist bloc at second spot.
This was a result of a strategic dealmaking between centrist and leftist opponents, who pulled more than 200 candidates from three-way races to avoid splitting the anti-RN vote.
The projected result has halted polls prospects of RN’s leader Le Pen who had carefully strategised to clean up her party’s image and tap the voters grievances related to living costs, strained public services, and immigration.
However, IPSOS pollster Brice Teinturier pointed to the RN’s 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, news agency AP reported.
France’s Allies Relieved by Le Pen Loss
With far-right failing to win a snap election on Sunday, many of France’s allies rejoiced that the threat of a far-right government was averted but they noted that a messy alliance from a hung parliament in France could also pose troubles for Europe.
Le Pen’s RN had been favourite to top the poll. If Pen’s party would have won, then France’s would have elected its first far-right government since the World War 2, which would threaten to upend economic and foreign policy in the euro zone’s second-largest economy.
It is believed that Ukraine’s allies were apprehensive of a Le Pen-led government in France due to fear that it could soften its tone on Moscow and might pull back from providing military aid to Kyiv that it has been dependent on since the Russian invasion on 2022. Though, Le Pen’s party has lately said Russia was a “threat”.
The RN’s failure indicates a tentative pushback against a relentless far-right rise in Europe. The predicted poll outcome also signals that there could be a political turmoil in the country with a new government in an uneasy “cohabitation” with President Emmanuel Macron.
“In Paris enthusiasm, in Moscow disappointment, in Kyiv relief. Enough to be happy in Warsaw,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said on X.
Macron dissolved the French Parliament in June this and called for snap legislative elections after the far-right defeated his centrist alliance in European elections.
Macron, who announced the elections in an attempt to wrest the initiative back from Le Pen, faced a setback in the polls as his own party was left trailing behind an alliance of leftist parties that performed far better than expected to take first place.
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