The recent European Parliament election results in France reveal a significant shift from previous elections, with a clear lead for the far-right Rassemblement National party (RN).
Election Results and RN’s Dominance
As mentioned, the RN led the polls in France, securing 31.5% of the vote. Following RN, the “Besoin d’Europe” coalition (centrist to center-right), which includes Renaissance (President Macron’s party), Modem, Horizons, Parti Radical, Union des démocrates et indépendants , garnered 15.2%. The “Réveiller l’Europe” coalition (center-left to left-wing), consisting of the Parti socialiste and Place publique, received 14%. Other notable results include La France Insoumise (far-left) with 8.7%, Les Républicains (center-right) at 7.2%, and La France fière (right-wing to far-right) at 5.5%. Ecologists (Europe Écologie Les Verts, left-wing) secured 5.2%, while the remaining parties and coalitions received lower percentages. The election outcome highlights a significant shift towards the RN, impacting the political landscape and future policy directions within the European Parliament.
Jordan Bardella from RN secured a significant victory with 31.5% of the votes. This result not only doubled that of the incumbent presidential party and also showed a nearly ten-point increase from the RN’s performance in the 2019 European elections.
Bardella’s Call for Action
Following the announcement of the results, Bardella linked his party’s strong performance to widespread disapproval of President Emmanuel Macron’s policies. His campaign shifted focus towards national issues, distancing from common European subjects. Bardella saw the results as indicative of broader discontent with the current administration.
During an event in Paris, he advocated for new legislative elections, emphasizing the need for humility and responsibility given the electoral results.
Macron’s Response
In response to the RN’s historic performance, President Emmanuel Macron announced the dissolution of the National Assembly and set the dates for the upcoming legislative elections on June 30 and July 7. He justified the dissolution stating that:
“France needs a clear majority.”
Macron acknowledged the disappointing performance of pro-European parties and voiced concerns over the rising influence of extreme right movements across Europe. He highlighted the threats posed by increasing nationalism and demagoguery to France’s role in Europe and on the global stage, affirming his commitment to addressing the electorate’s concerns and upholding democratic values.