French President Emmanuel Macron’s party is on course for an overwhelming parliamentary majority, after Sunday’s first round of voting for the National Assembly left traditional parties in disarray.
Projections showed Macron widening his centrist revolution, with his Republique en Marche (Republic on the Move, REM) party and its ally MoDem tipped to win between 400 and 445 seats in the 577-member National Assembly in next Sunday’s second round.
Such a share would give Macron one of the biggest Parliamentary majorities for 60 years.
“France is back,” Prime Minister Edouard Philippe declared triumphantly.
But the vote was marked by record low turnout of 49 percent, possibly reflecting fatalism among Macron’s opponents in the face of his seemingly unstoppable advance, experts said. Official final results released early Monday showed Macron’s one-year-old REM and MoDem winning 32.32 percent in the first round, ahead of the Republicans on 21.56 percent and the FN on 13.20 percent. The Socialists and their allies secured just 9.51 percent while the radical left and communists were on 13.74 percent.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel congratulated Macron on a “great success” Sunday.
The French press Monday noted Macron’s success but stressed the record abstention rate keeps its political significance in perspective.
“Macron on the move to an overwhelming majority” said national daily Le Figaro while Le Parisien hailed “A master stroke”. - AFP