Pro-Macron alliance ties with left-wing bloc in 1st round of French parliamentary elections

French voters cast ballots on Sunday in the first round of their country's parliamentary elections, and the results suggest to some pollsters that the coalition supporting newly re-elected President Emmanuel Macron could be in danger of losing its majority in the National Assembly.
Voter turnout was around 47 percent, the lowest participation rate since the French Fifth Republic was founded in 1958.
According to France's interior ministry, Macron's alliance, Ensemble, received 5,857,561 votes — 25.75 percent — barely edging out Mélenchon's New Ecologic and Social People's Union, which received 5,836,202 votes, or 25.66 percent.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Other top vote-getters were Marine Le Pen's right-wing National Rally (18.68 percent), the center-right Republicans (10.42 percent), and Éric Zemmour's far-right Reconquest (4.24 percent). Zemmour himself failed to finish in the top two in the constituency for which he ran, and will not advance to the second round, which will take place on June 12.
Macron's allies currently hold 346 of the National Assembly's 577 seats. Polling firm Ipsos predicts Ensemble will win the greatest number of seats, between 255 and 295. This range straddles the 289 seats required for an absolute majority. If Macron's alliance falls below that number, his ability to govern will be severely hindered.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Grayson Quay was the weekend editor at TheWeek.com. His writing has also been published in National Review, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Modern Age, The American Conservative, The Spectator World, and other outlets. Grayson earned his M.A. from Georgetown University in 2019.
-
Classic car insurance: how best to protect your vintage vehicle
The Explainer Insuring your classic car may be cheaper than you think
By Marc Shoffman, The Week UK Published
-
Celebrating 250 years of Jane Austen
The Week Recommends From exhibitions to Regency balls, these are the best ways to commemorate the author
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
The pressure of South Korea's celebrity culture
In The Spotlight South Korean actress Kim Sae-ron was laid to rest on Wednesday after an apparent suicide
By Abby Wilson Published
-
Trump officials try to reverse DOGE-led firings
Speed Read Mass firings by Elon Musk's team have included employees working on the H5N1 bird flu epidemic and US nuclear weapons programs
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump blames Ukraine for war after US-Russia talks
Speed Read The US and Russia have agreed to work together on ending the Ukraine war — but President Trump has flipped America's approach
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Musk's DOGE seeks access to IRS, Social Security files
Speed Read If cleared, the Department of Government Efficiency would have access to tax returns, bank records and other highly personal information about most Americans
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Senate confirms RFK Jr. as health secretary
Speed Read The noted vaccine skeptic is now in charge of America's massive public health system
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump lays out plans for broad 'reciprocal' tariffs
Speed Read Tariffs imposed on countries that are deemed to be treating the US unfairly could ignite a global trade war and worsen American inflation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Top US prosecutors resign rather than drop Adams case
speed read The interim US attorney for the Southern District and five senior Justice Department officials quit following an order to drop the charges against Mayor Eric Adams
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Senate confirms Gabbard as intelligence chief
Speed Read The controversial former Democratic lawmaker, now Trump loyalist, was sworn in as director of national intelligence
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump, Putin plan Ukraine peace talks without Kyiv
Speed Read President Donald Trump spoke by phone to Russian President Vladimir Putin, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was not included
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published