01:00French President Emmanuel Macron was seen arriving at a polling station in Le Touquet on Sunday to cast his vote in the first round of the parliamentary elections.
Footage shows the French president greeting supporters outside the building alongside his wife Brigitte and cabinet members.
According to the French Ministry of the Interior, the voter turnout rate was 25.90 per cent by noon, local time. In comparison, the 2022 election reportedly witnessed a voter turnout of 18.43 per cent.
According to a recent poll, Marine Le Pen's nationalist National Rally party and its conservative allies are leading the first round of the election with 35.5 per cent of the vote, followed by the New Popular Front (NPF) in second place with 29.5 per cent and Macron's Renaissance in third place with 19.5 per cent of the vote.
Macron called the snap legislative vote following huge losses for his Renaissance party in the EU Parliament elections, which saw a massive surge for Jordan Bardella's National Rally. The next election was not expected until 2027.
Across the bloc, conservative, nationalist and anti-immigration groups also made significant 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 executive powers to pass legislation like his pension reforms, which have seen massive protests.
President Macron arrives at election polling station to cast his ballot
French President Emmanuel Macron was seen arriving at a polling station in Le Touquet on Sunday to cast his vote in the first round of the parliamentary elections.
Footage shows the French president greeting supporters outside the building alongside his wife Brigitte and cabinet members.
According to the French Ministry of the Interior, the voter turnout rate was 25.90 per cent by noon, local time. In comparison, the 2022 election reportedly witnessed a voter turnout of 18.43 per cent.
According to a recent poll, Marine Le Pen's nationalist National Rally party and its conservative allies are leading the first round of the election with 35.5 per cent of the vote, followed by the New Popular Front (NPF) in second place with 29.5 per cent and Macron's Renaissance in third place with 19.5 per cent of the vote.
Macron called the snap legislative vote following huge losses for his Renaissance party in the EU Parliament elections, which saw a massive surge for Jordan Bardella's National Rally. The next election was not expected until 2027.
Across the bloc, conservative, nationalist and anti-immigration groups also made significant 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 executive powers to pass legislation like his pension reforms, which have seen massive protests.
French President Emmanuel Macron was seen arriving at a polling station in Le Touquet on Sunday to cast his vote in the first round of the parliamentary elections.
Footage shows the French president greeting supporters outside the building alongside his wife Brigitte and cabinet members.
According to the French Ministry of the Interior, the voter turnout rate was 25.90 per cent by noon, local time. In comparison, the 2022 election reportedly witnessed a voter turnout of 18.43 per cent.
According to a recent poll, Marine Le Pen's nationalist National Rally party and its conservative allies are leading the first round of the election with 35.5 per cent of the vote, followed by the New Popular Front (NPF) in second place with 29.5 per cent and Macron's Renaissance in third place with 19.5 per cent of the vote.
Macron called the snap legislative vote following huge losses for his Renaissance party in the EU Parliament elections, which saw a massive surge for Jordan Bardella's National Rally. The next election was not expected until 2027.
Across the bloc, conservative, nationalist and anti-immigration groups also made significant 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 executive powers to pass legislation like his pension reforms, which have seen massive protests.