01:13France's National Rally party leader Jordan Bardella cast his vote in Garches, a suburb near Paris, on Sunday during the first round of the snap legislative elections.
Footage shows Bardella heading toward the polling station while a nearby voter chanting 'Vive la France! Vive la France!' can also be heard in the background.
Voting in mainland France begins for the first round of elections and lasts for the next 12 hours. Overseas voters, including those from France's overseas territories, cast their ballots earlier. A total of 49 million French citizens are eligible to participate in these elections, including the troubled territory of New Caledonia.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the snap legislative vote following huge losses for his Renaissance party in the EU Parliament elections, which saw a surge for Bardella's National Rally. The next election was not expected until 2027.
Across the bloc, conservative, nationalist and anti-immigration groups also made large gains. Many called for a focus on domestic priorities amid the soaring cost of living, as well as lower taxes, better border security and an end to foreign military interventions, such as in Ukraine.
France's election is held over two rounds, on June 30 and July 7, electing all 577 members of the National Assembly. Macron has not held a majority in parliament since 2022 and has used the presidential decree to pass legislation like his pension reforms, which have seen widespread protests.
Right turn for France? National Rally's Jordan Bardella casts vote in snap parliamentary elections
France's National Rally party leader Jordan Bardella cast his vote in Garches, a suburb near Paris, on Sunday during the first round of the snap legislative elections.
Footage shows Bardella heading toward the polling station while a nearby voter chanting 'Vive la France! Vive la France!' can also be heard in the background.
Voting in mainland France begins for the first round of elections and lasts for the next 12 hours. Overseas voters, including those from France's overseas territories, cast their ballots earlier. A total of 49 million French citizens are eligible to participate in these elections, including the troubled territory of New Caledonia.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the snap legislative vote following huge losses for his Renaissance party in the EU Parliament elections, which saw a surge for Bardella's National Rally. The next election was not expected until 2027.
Across the bloc, conservative, nationalist and anti-immigration groups also made large gains. Many called for a focus on domestic priorities amid the soaring cost of living, as well as lower taxes, better border security and an end to foreign military interventions, such as in Ukraine.
France's election is held over two rounds, on June 30 and July 7, electing all 577 members of the National Assembly. Macron has not held a majority in parliament since 2022 and has used the presidential decree to pass legislation like his pension reforms, which have seen widespread protests.
France's National Rally party leader Jordan Bardella cast his vote in Garches, a suburb near Paris, on Sunday during the first round of the snap legislative elections.
Footage shows Bardella heading toward the polling station while a nearby voter chanting 'Vive la France! Vive la France!' can also be heard in the background.
Voting in mainland France begins for the first round of elections and lasts for the next 12 hours. Overseas voters, including those from France's overseas territories, cast their ballots earlier. A total of 49 million French citizens are eligible to participate in these elections, including the troubled territory of New Caledonia.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the snap legislative vote following huge losses for his Renaissance party in the EU Parliament elections, which saw a surge for Bardella's National Rally. The next election was not expected until 2027.
Across the bloc, conservative, nationalist and anti-immigration groups also made large gains. Many called for a focus on domestic priorities amid the soaring cost of living, as well as lower taxes, better border security and an end to foreign military interventions, such as in Ukraine.
France's election is held over two rounds, on June 30 and July 7, electing all 577 members of the National Assembly. Macron has not held a majority in parliament since 2022 and has used the presidential decree to pass legislation like his pension reforms, which have seen widespread protests.