French President suffering reversal as Le Pen wins elections

By Stefan J. Bos 

Official results show voters handed Marine Le Pen’s National Rally a strong victory as many share its anti-migration views. “My dear compatriots, democracy has spoken. And the French people have placed the National Rally in the lead,” Le Pen told supporters. She added that her party virtually wiped out the block of French President Emmanuel Macron. 

Election results showed her National Rally party receiving about 33 percent of the vote. 

The number includes votes from a group of conservative candidates of The Republicans party who had allied with Le Pen’s party in the first round of the parliamentary elections on Sunday.  

The New Popular Front, a leftist alliance, finished second with about 28 percent. Interior Ministry officials acknowledged that President Macron’s Together alliance came third with around 20 percent. 

Voter turnout was with about 68 percent, the highest in some 40 years, officials and observers said. 

However, analysts caution that this was only the first round in the parliamentary elections and that parties might cooperate ahead of the final second round on Sunday, July 7, to hold Le Pen’s National Rally at bay.

President Macron decided to organize early elections after his party suffered losses in the European elections.

He could stay president until his term expires in 2027 and has said he will not resign, whatever the election outcome. 

The popularity of Le Pen has been linked to concerns about an influx of migrants fleeing war, persecution, and poverty.