Just before midday, a consistent influx of citizens file into the town hall of Paris’ ninth district to participate in what might be regarded as the most vital election in recent French political past.
Marine Le Pen’s National Rally, known for its stringent anti-immigration stance, is predicted to top the charts as the biggest party in the French legislature. This is anticipated to be a critical setback for incumbent French president Emmanuel Macron and his centrist alliance.
Latest public surveys suggest that the far-right party will dominate the forthcoming National Assembly elections, but it likely won’t secure the 289 seats required for ruling majority.
The New Popular Front, a temporary left-leaning coalition stretching from the radical France Unbowed party fronted by Jean-Luc Mélenchon to the centre-left, is estimated to finish as runner-up. The existing minority government and centrist faction under Macron is projected to slip to the third position, thereby losing around half of its current seats.
The National Rally, also known as Rassemblement National, led the first round of voting that took place a week ago, securing approximately a third of the total votes, and is now inching closer to a majority command.
However, in an attempt to avert a vote-split among centre and left-wing candidates standing in individual constituencies in the second round of voting and risking a win for the far-right in a three-way contest, the New Popular Front and Macron’s centrist alliance have strategically withdrawn over 200 candidates from the upcoming run-off races that will determine the majority of the 577 single-seat constituencies.
Violette Dumoulin, a 21-year-old business student and voter in Paris, has voiced her concerns about the increasing popularity of the far-right, calling it a “disaster” for the nation. She professed her lack of admiration for both Macron and Jean-Luc Mélenchon but emphasized the importance for French citizens to exhaust every means to prevent the National Rally from taking the reins of the government.
Appeals for voter support for the leftist Popular Front are evident across Paris, a city known for its liberal-leaning sentiment, in the form of posters that also emphasise the danger of the extreme right. These are especially noticeable in contrast to the traditionally conservatives regions where the National Rally has a stronghold.
Financial sector employee Mamadou Fofana, 28, a Parisian native, voiced his dread at the thought of Le Pen’s party ruling. In his view, a National Rally-led administration would be catastrophic for the economy. He does not want them to gain the majority in the National Assembly. “My choice would likely be Macron because I simply can’t envision choosing another faction,” he stated.
A government official woman, preferring anonymity, echoed Fofana, expressing her anxiety over the possibilities of National Rally victory. She found the possibility that the far-right party might win, even if the chances are slim, deeply troubling. “It’s not a conventional party… the prospect of their success really scares me,” she confessed.
Another individual, who chose not to share his political preference, regarded the upcoming elections as an opportunity to rejuvenate and modernise French politics.
Marine Jouan, 29, commented on how locals are dissatisfied with Macron’s performance, while casting her vote in a town hall in the 1st arrondissement, near the famed Louvre. She works in the pharmaceuticals sector. She believes that mainstream political entities aren’t doing enough to comprehend the allure of the far-right to working-class citizens. Ms. Jouan is dissatisfied with the state of healthcare and education in France. “I think my support will go to the left, but I’m still unsure. I don’t feel affiliated with any of the parties,” she opined.