Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally has taken a strong lead in France’s first round of parliamentary elections, following an unusually high turnout among voters.
Exit polls showed that the nationalist leader’s party won 34.5 per cent of the vote, while current president Emmanuel Macron’s Together coalition slumped to third place on 22.5 per cent.
Speaking at an election party in the northern town of Henin Beaumont, Ms Le Pen said: “Democracy has spoken, and the French people have placed the National Rally and its allies in first place – and has practically wiped out the Macronist bloc. Nothing has been won – and the second round will be decisive.”
The elections were called just three weeks ago after Mr Macron’s party suffered heavy defeats in the European parliament election earlier in June by the National Rally, which has historic ties to racism and antisemitism and is hostile toward France’s Muslim community.
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