A surprising election result? Not the UK, but the crushing victory for Emmanuel Macron's La Republique En Marche! party in the first round of the French Assembly election yesterday (Sunday 11th June). The results suggest that LREM will win between 415 and 455 seats, in an assembly of 577 seats. The rightist party Les Republicains is likely to be the main opposition party, with between 70 and 100 seats. The Parti Socialiste been pretty well wiped out, losing over 200 seats and Melenchon's La France Insoumise will be the main left party, though with less than 25 seats (including communists).
The Front National may win up to 5 seats (2 in 2012), indeed it is very possible that Marine Le Pen herself will be the only representative of her party.
Very striking fact is that only about 49% of voters turned out. Some blamed the weather - beach and barbecues preferred- some the apathy in view of the pre-election polls predicting a big win for Macron.
The second round next week may see the abstainers come out - but they have missed their chance by and large for the small parties, because LREM mainly is up against LR and the PS LFI and FN candidates who have made it to the second round have little chance in face of Macron's candidate.
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