Left wins election in France - Le Pen's right only in third place
According to surveys, the question seemed to be only about how large the majority of the Right would fall in the new French National Assembly. However, the first calculations show a surprise: The left alliance is leading.
In the French parliamentary elections, the left alliance is reportedly leading surprisingly in the first calculations. The right-national Rassemblement National could therefore only end up in third place behind the centrist camp of Emmanuel Macron's State President, as TF1 and France 2 reported after the polling stations closed. None of the factions are expected to reach an absolute majority of 289 seats.
The left-wing New Popular Front could allegedly come to between 172 and 215 of the 577 seats, Macron's forces to between 150 and 180, and the Rassemblement National (RN) of Marine Le Pen and her allies to between 120 and 152.
The result is a great surprise. After the first round of voting a week ago, predictions had the RN still just below an absolute majority and potentially able to form the next government. The right-wing shift is now smaller than expected. It remains unclear how it will continue. With the result, various future scenarios emerge. The Left could try to get support from the Center - either as a minority government with tolerance or in some form of Grand Coalition. Given the opposing political orientations, however, it is not clear whether this would be possible.
It is unclear whether Prime Minister Macron in such a scenario would be politically forced to appoint a Premier from the ranks of the Left. The National Assembly can bring down the government. If a Premier came from the left-wing camp, Macron would have to share power. The Premier would be more important. What this means for Germany and Europe is unclear. The Left is split and holds very different positions on many major political issues.
If none of the factions find a government majority, the current government could remain in power as a caretaker government or an expert government could be appointed. France threatens political standstill in such a scenario.
The lead of the left alliance in the French National Assembly is shifting the place of power in French politics. This unexpected shift to the left could significantly impact France's rights and politics. The surprise result in the parliamentary elections has caused a right shift to the right of the third place, leaving France with a complex political choice. The future of France's government and its relationship with neighboring countries like Germany could be influenced by this unexpected leftward shift in French politics.
