Macron Announces Snap Election in France

A snap general election has been called in France. President Macron dissolves parliament after his party’s defeat in EU elections won by the far right. The past European Parliament elections have had a huge and immediate impact on French domestic politics. After suffering a serious defeat at the hands of the far-right National Rally party, President Emmanuel Macron said he was dissolving the National Assembly and calling snap elections. In his address on Sunday night, Macron said he had decided to return the choice of the country’s political future to the voters and declared 30 June and 7 July as election days. Speaking to her supporters, National Rally founder Marine Le Pen, who handed over the reins of power to Jordan Bardella in 2022, welcomed Macron’s decision, saying her party represented “the main force for change in France.” Marine Le Pen, founder of the National Rally party: “We are ready to take power if the French people lend us electoral credence in future legislative elections. We are ready to turn the country around, ready to protect the interests of the French, ready to end mass immigration, ready to make the purchasing power of the French a priority.” The National Rally finished first with 31.36% of the vote, becoming the first French party to receive more than 30% of the vote in European elections since 1984. The presidential party Renaissance came in second place with 14.6%. The Socialists rounded out the top three with 13.83%. Emmanuel Macron’s announcement to dissolve the National Assembly after his party suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of the far-right National Rally has sent shockwaves across France and across the EU bloc. The president will now have about 20 days to try to win a majority of seats in the French parliament in the upcoming legislative elections on 30 June and 7 July.