RN victory in the first round: “wounded” France takes a dizzying fall into the unknown

,“Emmanuel Macron lost this country that he claimed to modernize, reform and transform by erasing the right-left divide”, assène View. “This is the implacable observation of the first round of early legislative elections which has just ended with a clear victory for the National Rally (RN) and its allies”adds the Swiss site.

According to the latest estimates from polling institutes, the RN would have obtained between 33.2 and 33.5% of the votes, followed by the New Popular Front (NFP, 28.1-28.5%) and Emmanuel Macron’s camp ( 21-22.1%). Thirty-nine candidates from the RN – including Marine Le Pen – and thirty-two from the NFP were elected in the first round.

“For decades, France’s two-round voting system functioned as a bulwark against parties at the ends of the political spectrum, encouraging voters to let off steam in the first round and then coalesce around one candidate from the establishment to the second”, analyze the Wall Street Journal.

This time seems to be over. Because on Sunday, “Marine Le Pen’s far right has obtained its first de-demonized victory” from the hand of “the French electorate” from the first round of voting, notes Clarin from Argentina.

“Footstep of the extreme right”

For Emmanuel Macron, “The result of the vote is a serious setback after betting that the victory of the National Rally in the recent elections to the European Parliament would not be repeated”, observe the New York Times.

The ace ! “This Sunday, June 30, will undoubtedly go down in history as a prelude to the triumph of the French far right.”, comment La Libre Belgique.

“After having blown up the political chessboard in 2017, Emmanuel Macron has blown up what was left of it” and “has turned into a stepping stone for the extreme right”.

Fact, “The first round of voting suggests that the most likely results are now either an absolute majority for the RN or an ungovernable National Assembly”analyzes the New York Times. “In the second scenario, there would be two large blocs of right and left opposed to Mr. Macron, and his centrist party, very small, would be stuck between the extremes” and condemned to “relative impotence”.

“Political chaos”

And The Times to increasewith a touch of irony: “In practice, according to pollsters, the best Macron can hope for is a parliament without a majority, without a party capable of forming a government, and a France facing months of legislative impasse and political chaos.”.

For The weather, “The question that now arises is that of possible withdrawals to block and beat the RN candidate in a three-way race, a configuration that usually leaves more chances to the extreme right. The left could then dream of a relative majority.”.

An opinion shared, only in part, by View : “If we add the seat projections for the New Popular Front, the central bloc and the traditional right, the possibility of a final roadblock to the RN is possible”. But the site hastens to add that “The reality is, however, that such an alliance has, on the evening of this first round, no cohesion to offer”.

“The ‘clearly democratic and republican’ gathering desired by Emmanuel Macron this evening will in any case appear artificial and circumstantial, as the programs and ambitions of each party are so far apart”adds the Swiss media.

“Heartbreaking divisions”

The Daily Fatto judges him too that “This Republican front is already experiencing many difficulties” because it is “impossible” for the Macronist camp of “support the New Popular Front. At least not everywhere”. Some voters “from the center and the moderate right” put into effect “on an equal footing” the party of “Le Pen and that of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of La France insoumise”, explain El País.

But in its editorial, the center-left Spanish daily asserts that “What is at stake – preventing the far right from gaining power – requires centrists and moderate conservatives to put aside their differences, and support anyone who can beat the far right”regardless of party.

“As the second round of elections approaches, the republic seems wounded, its divisions heartbreaking”point it New York Times. “The week ahead will be one of high tension”written in echo Free Belgium. “A new election begins. The French will have to choose – and assume – towards which side of the ridge they jump”with the risk of a “vertiginous fall into the unknown”.