Some 30,000 officers will be deployed to police the tense ballot tomorrow, including 5,000 in Paris, said interior minister Gerald Darminin - as France teeters on the brink of handing the far right its largest ever parliamentary victory.
Three polls in as many days have suggested Marine Le Pen and her protege Jordan Bardella's National Rally is on course to win more seats than any other party - but also to fall short of the 289 required for an absolute majority.
However, that lead has been cut short after National Rally's dominant performance in the first round of voting sparked immediate demands for a "republican front" to block the advance of the far right.
This story is from the July 06, 2024 edition of The Independent.
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This story is from the July 06, 2024 edition of The Independent.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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