June 30, 2024
Which parties are competing in the French general election?
The election will see four major blocs competing for parliamentary seats.
of New People’s Front The coalition of left-wing parties and the Green Party was formed earlier this month after President Emmanuel Macron called for general elections. The party’s policies include reversing immigration and pension reforms, a wealth tax and a higher minimum wage. It currently holds 149 seats.
Macron’s Renaissance Party Ensemble (together) UnionThe centrist, pro-EU and pro-NATO coalition aims to make France’s economy and workforce more competitive. It is a vocal supporter of Ukraine’s fight against Russian forces. It currently holds 250 seats in parliament.
Center-right Republican They are a pro-business party that has seen its numbers drastically shrink after decades of dominating France, currently holding 61 seats.
Marine Le Pen’s far-right National meeting, The coalition, which is expected to win the most seats in the upcoming election, is anti-immigration and anti-EU. It is known for its political and financial ties to Russia. It currently holds 88 seats.
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June 30, 2024
How does the French voting system work?
France has 577 electoral districts, each of which has one representative to the National Assembly in Paris.
A candidate who receives more than 50% of the votes in the first round wins, but this is rare.
Candidates who receive at least 12.5% of the registered vote will advance to a second runoff election to be held on July 7. The highest scorer will win.
The election is not to replace President Macron, who is serving his second and final term until 2027.
However, the prime minister must be chosen from the party that wins a majority in the National Assembly or the House of Representatives.
If either a far-right or far-left coalition wins, Macron would be forced into a period of “coexistence” – a period in which the president and prime minister are elected from different political camps and executive power is divided.
In the case of the far-right National Rally party, that would not be Le Pen, who leads the party’s parliamentary group, but rather its leader, Jordan Bardella.
The prime minister will be responsible for domestic law, while Macron will retain foreign policy decision-making power as head of the armed forces.
If a majority is not reached, the president can nominate a prime minister from the group with the most seats in Parliament.
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June 30, 2024
Why is France holding sudden elections?
French President Emmanuel Macron has taken a big political gamble by calling parliamentary elections after his centrist party suffered a crushing defeat to Marine Le Pen’s far-right Rally National (RN) party in European Parliament elections earlier this month.
The RN is leading in pre-election opinion polls, potentially leading to the country’s first far-right government since the Nazi occupation in World War II.
The New Popular Front (NFP), a new left-wing coalition formed this month, is in second place, while a centrist coalition including Macron’s Renaissance party is in third place.
Macron’s ruling Renaissance party has 169 members in the 577-seat National Assembly, making it the largest party by number of seats. The Rally National is the largest opposition party with 88 seats.
Analysts expect the RN to win the majority of seats, but it is unclear whether the party will be able to secure the 289 seats needed for an absolute majority.
rmt/rm (Reuters, AP)
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