After his party lost the European Parliament elections, French President Emmanuel Macron declared the early end of parliament’s authority. In a Sunday televised speech to the French people, Macron declared the dissolution of the National Assembly, FranceInfo reported.
The first round of France’s early parliamentary elections will take place on June 30. The second round will take place on July 7.
Macron’s list lost the European Parliament elections, earning half as many votes as Marine Le Pen’s right-wing National Rally and losing more than a third of the votes compared to the 2019 elections.
“I’ve heard your message, your concerns, and I won’t leave them unanswered,” declared the French President in a televised address, barely an hour after the European election results.
This result “is not favorable for the parties that defend Europe,” Macron said, adding that the far right is gaining popularity across the continent.
“I cannot act as if nothing has happened… That is why, after holding the consultations provided for in Article 12 of our Constitution, I have decided to give you the choice of our parliamentary future by vote again,” the French president said.
Thus, Macron made the risky decision to call early elections for the French parliament, which was set to function until 2027. Nevertheless, June 30 will see the first round of French legislative elections, and July 7 will see the second.
He probably anticipates that French voters will favor his party more in a partnership with other pro-European parties during the national elections. This might indicate that the extreme right lacks the necessary support to exert influence over French legislative decision-making.
The turnout in the French parliamentary elections might, after all, be greater than in the European elections. This might especially inspire democratic and liberal voters.
Emmanuel Macron wants to organize French parliamentary elections before the Olympic Games, which are set for July of this year in Paris.
“We are ready to exercise power if the French trust us in these future legislative elections”, reacted Marine Le Pen, president of the Rassemblement National group in the Assembly. Earlier, reacting to the victory of the list he headed, Jordan Bardella had asked Emmanuel Macron for “new legislative elections”.
However, this risky decision has already sparked criticism. “Emmanuel Macron has complied with Jordan Bardella’s demands. It’s actually the Rassemblement National that sets the tempo for French political life. Nothing forced it to do so,” said Raphaël Glusckmann, head of the Socialists’ list, which was hot on the heels of the presidential majority in the European elections. “This is an extremely dangerous game with democracy and institutions. I’m flabbergasted by such behavior,” he added.
The elections in three weeks will show whether Macron was right.
