French President Emmanuel Macron has decided to call early parliamentary elections for the end of this month following the crushing defeat of his party to his rival Marine Le Pen in the European Parliament elections.
Le Pen’s right-wing party, National Rally, garnered a significant 31.4% of the votes, while Macron’s liberal coalition, Renaissance, secured 14.6%, and the Social Democrats achieved 13.8%, according to provisional estimates on Monday.
In his announcement on Sunday, Macron declared the dissolution of Parliament and set the dates for the two rounds of elections: June 30 and July 7, shortly before the start of the Paris Olympics.
Macron announced his decision in a televised speech from the Élysée Palace, just an hour after the polls closed and the first exit polls of the European elections were published.
The president’s announcement followed an open request from Jordan Bardella, the 28-year-old leader of National Rally, who had urged Macron to call parliamentary elections.
The risk for Macron is evident. The early elections could further strengthen National Rally’s position, potentially leading to an unfavorable parliamentary composition for his administration. However, Macron hopes that this move can revitalize his support and give him a renewed opportunity to advance his political agenda.
With the elections scheduled just before the Paris Olympics, the political climate in France becomes even more volatile as the country prepares for a globally significant event.
Macron emphasized that his decision to dissolve Parliament directly responds to the voice of the French people. “The people have spoken,” Macron affirmed, underscoring the need to redirect the country’s political course.
France is heading towards a period of potential significant changes in its political leadership with these early parliamentary elections.
