French voters turn out in force for parliamentary election, as far-right seeks power

French voters turned out in large numbers for the second round of a parliamentary election on Sunday that could see the far-right National Rally (RN) emerge as the strongest force, severely denting President Emmanuel Macron’s authority.

Turnout stood at 59.71 per cent by around 5pm local time, up from 38.11 per cent at that time during the second round of voting in 2022, the Interior Ministry said. It was the highest afternoon turnout level since 1981, pollsters Harris Interactive and Ipsos said, illustrating strong public interest in an election that has polarised political views.

The two agencies forecast final turnout at around 67 per cent, a level unseen since 1997.

The latest opinion polls have forecast the RN to win the most seats in the National Assembly, but predicted it may fall short of an absolute majority. A hung parliament would herald a prolonged period of instability and policy deadlock in the euro zone’s second-biggest economy.

If the nationalist, Eurosceptic RN did secure a majority, it would usher in France’s first far-right government since World War II and send shock waves through the European Union at a time when populist parties are strengthening support across the continent.

Voting closes at 6pm local time in towns and small cities and 8pm in bigger cities. Pollsters will deliver initial projections based on early counts from a sample of voting stations at 8pm.

Macron called the snap election after his ticket was trounced by the RN in European Parliament elections last month, a move apparently aimed at wrong-footing his rivals in a legislative election. The vote is pitting a centrist government against opposition movements from the left and far-right.