Second round of parliamentary elections begins in France
Photo: Marine Le Pen's political force is predicted to win (Getty Images)
In France, the second round of parliamentary elections began on the morning of July 7. The far-right National Rally (RN) could potentially win for the first time, according to Euractiv.
President Emmanuel Macron called for these early elections following a defeat in the European Parliament campaign in mid-June.
France uses a two-round majority electoral system. To be elected:
- In the first round, a candidate needs an absolute majority of votes cast and a number equal to a quarter of registered voters;
- In the second round, a candidate needs a relative majority.
To qualify for the second round, a candidate must receive at least 12.5% of the total registered voters.
The first round took place on June 30. Following this, Marine Le Pen, the formal leader of RN, confidently stated that her political force could achieve an absolute majority in parliament. In this scenario, the next prime minister would be the party's leader, 28-year-old politician Jordan Bardella.
However, last week saw over 200 tactical agreements made between centrists and left-wing candidates to prevent a victory by the far-right.
Recent polls indicate that RN may not secure the 289 seats needed for an absolute majority in the 577-seat National Assembly.
Exit polls and initial results are expected after 8:00 PM.
Earlier, Marine Le Pen threatened to revoke Ukraine's permission to use French weapons against Russia.
For schedules and forecasts, refer to RBC-Ukraine's article "Macron against all: What France's parliamentary elections mean for Ukraine."
