Paris erupted in cheers on Sunday as projected results indicated the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) would triumph over the far-right National Rally (RN) party in France’s snap parliamentary election. A large crowd gathered at Place de la République to celebrate the left-wing alliance’s victory, chanting “Young people screw the National Front,” a popular slogan among left-wing supporters. The NFP, a cluster of several parties ranging from the far-left France Unbowed party to the more moderate Socialists and Ecologists, secured 182 seats in the National Assembly, becoming the largest group but falling short of the 289 seats needed for an absolute majority, as reported by the French Interior Ministry.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the fiery leader of France Unbowed and a member of the New Popular Front, addressed a crowd of ecstatic supporters near Stalingrad square, expressing relief and pride in the election results. Despite the NFP’s victory, the mood was more somber for supporters of the far-right RN party, as they faced a disappointing outcome. With no party close to securing a majority, the French parliament is likely to face division and paralysis, split between three blocs.
The results of the election mark a significant upset and demonstrate the French voters’ strong desire to prevent the far right from gaining power, even at the cost of a hung parliament. President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Ensemble alliance also saw a strong recovery, winning 163 seats after initially slumping to third place in the first round of voting. With the prospect of a “cohabitation” arrangement where Macron may need to appoint a figure from the left-wing coalition as prime minister, the political landscape in France is set for an intriguing shift following the election.
