France's president Emmanuel Macron last night called snap legislative elections following his allies' crushing defeat to the far-right National Rally (RN) in the European parliament elections.
According to usually reliable projections, Macron's centrist list was on course to score between 14.8 -15.2% of the vote, less than half the tally of 31.5-33% predicted for Marine Le Pen's RN party - its highest ever in a nationwide election - and just ahead of the Socialist list on 14%.
"At the end of this day, therefore, I will not be able to act as if nothing has happened," Macron said in a televised address last night. "That is why ... I have decided to give you the choice of our parliamentary future again, by voting."
The French president, whose second term has more than two years to run with presidential elections due in 2027, said he would dissolve parliament and would shortly sign a decree calling the elections, with the first round to be held on 30 June and the second on 7 July.
"France needs a clear majority in serenity and harmony. To be French, at heart, it is about choosing to write history, not be driven by it," Macron said.
The head of the RN's list, 28-year-old Jordan Bardella, said earlier that French voters had clearly "expressed a desire for change" and called for snap legislative elections.
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