France is gearing up for a significant election on Sunday, with the far-right hoping for a historic victory but a political stalemate seeming more likely. This election marks the first time that the anti-immigration National Rally (RN) of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella has a realistic chance of running the government and taking control of the National Assembly. However, after the RN’s success in the first-round of snap parliamentary elections, many rival candidates have dropped out to increase the chances of defeating the far-right.
Voting will begin in mainland France at 08:00 (06:00 GMT) with the first exit polls expected 12 hours later. President Emmanuel Macron is facing a challenging situation regardless of the election outcome. The political tension surrounding the election has led to heightened security measures, with 30,000 police deployed.
There are concerns about potential violence in Paris and other French cities, leading to the banning of a planned protest outside the National Assembly. The election in Dreux, a town on the road to Normandy, coincides with the arrival of the Olympic flame, adding to the significance of the day. Some residents feel that Macron should have delayed the election until after the Olympics.
The outcome of the election remains uncertain, with the balance of power shifting due to candidates withdrawing from the race to block the National Rally. Projections suggest that the RN may not secure an outright majority, leading to potential scenarios of a minority government or a grand coalition involving various parties.
France is navigating uncharted territory, and the country’s political landscape is likely to see significant changes following the election. President Macron has stated that he will not resign and intends to serve out the remainder of his term. “Y está perdiendo legitimidad. La preocupación inmediata para Francia es tener algún tipo de gobierno en su lugar durante los Juegos Olímpicos. El experto constitucional Benjamin Morel cree que el presidente podría formar un gobierno de unidad nacional hasta el final de los Juegos de París. “Eso daría a los partidos tiempo para llegar a un acuerdo entre ahora y el comienzo del año escolar y el próximo presupuesto”, le dijo a Le Figaro.”