٠٠:٠٢:٠٧French citizens flocked to the polling stations in Le Puy on Sunday to cast their votes in the 2024 snap legislative election.
Footage shows voters queuing inside a polling station, filling out their ballots in the voting booths and then dropping their ballots into the box.
"It must have come as a bit of a shock," one voter said. "Now's the time [to vote] because there's a dissolution, so people might be a little interested in what was going on, for those who don't usually do so. So, yes, I think we'll get a lot more people who are going to vote today."
"Whatever the result, there's already a big separation. We've almost found the left and the right again, even if there are fluctuating parts inside. It's true that we used to have lots and lots of parts and so on. And that's when we really felt the difference," the voter added.
According to the French Ministry of the Interior, the voter turnout rate was 25.90 percent by noon, local time. In comparison, the 2022 election reportedly witnessed a voter turnout of 18.43 percent.
The timing of the vote coincides with the traditional first week of summer vacation in France. Notably, requests for absentee ballots have surged, surpassing the numbers recorded during the 2022 elections.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the snap legislative vote following huge losses for his Renaissance party in the EU Parliament elections, which saw a huge 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 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 executive powers to pass legislation like his pension reforms, which have seen huge protests.
'It must have come as a bit of a shock' - Le Puy residents cast their ballots in snap legislative election
French citizens flocked to the polling stations in Le Puy on Sunday to cast their votes in the 2024 snap legislative election.
Footage shows voters queuing inside a polling station, filling out their ballots in the voting booths and then dropping their ballots into the box.
"It must have come as a bit of a shock," one voter said. "Now's the time [to vote] because there's a dissolution, so people might be a little interested in what was going on, for those who don't usually do so. So, yes, I think we'll get a lot more people who are going to vote today."
"Whatever the result, there's already a big separation. We've almost found the left and the right again, even if there are fluctuating parts inside. It's true that we used to have lots and lots of parts and so on. And that's when we really felt the difference," the voter added.
According to the French Ministry of the Interior, the voter turnout rate was 25.90 percent by noon, local time. In comparison, the 2022 election reportedly witnessed a voter turnout of 18.43 percent.
The timing of the vote coincides with the traditional first week of summer vacation in France. Notably, requests for absentee ballots have surged, surpassing the numbers recorded during the 2022 elections.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the snap legislative vote following huge losses for his Renaissance party in the EU Parliament elections, which saw a huge 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 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 executive powers to pass legislation like his pension reforms, which have seen huge protests.
French citizens flocked to the polling stations in Le Puy on Sunday to cast their votes in the 2024 snap legislative election.
Footage shows voters queuing inside a polling station, filling out their ballots in the voting booths and then dropping their ballots into the box.
"It must have come as a bit of a shock," one voter said. "Now's the time [to vote] because there's a dissolution, so people might be a little interested in what was going on, for those who don't usually do so. So, yes, I think we'll get a lot more people who are going to vote today."
"Whatever the result, there's already a big separation. We've almost found the left and the right again, even if there are fluctuating parts inside. It's true that we used to have lots and lots of parts and so on. And that's when we really felt the difference," the voter added.
According to the French Ministry of the Interior, the voter turnout rate was 25.90 percent by noon, local time. In comparison, the 2022 election reportedly witnessed a voter turnout of 18.43 percent.
The timing of the vote coincides with the traditional first week of summer vacation in France. Notably, requests for absentee ballots have surged, surpassing the numbers recorded during the 2022 elections.
French President Emmanuel Macron called the snap legislative vote following huge losses for his Renaissance party in the EU Parliament elections, which saw a huge 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 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 executive powers to pass legislation like his pension reforms, which have seen huge protests.