DPA
Paris
Following President Emmanuel Macron’s resounding defeat in the European elections, France has swiftly entered election campaign mode. Macron dissolved the National Assembly, France’s lower house of parliament, on Sunday and scheduled parliamentary elections in just a few weeks’ time.
Various parties are strategizing their campaigns in response to the sudden electoral call. France’s far-right National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen, emerged as the clear winner of the European elections in France, securing 31.36% of the vote, according to preliminary results announced by the Interior Ministry on Monday after all the votes had been counted.
Macron’s camp came a distant second with 14.6%, followed by the Socialists with 13.83%. Another far-right party, Reconquest, won 5.47%. The eurosceptic National Rally has softened its image in recent years in an effort to widen its appeal and strengthen Le Pen’s bid for the presidency.
Macron’s job as president is not at stake in the upcoming elections, as the next presidential election is not scheduled until 2027. His aim is to create a more stable majority in parliament for his remaining term of office.