French President Emmanuel Macron announced on the 9th (local time) that he would dissolve the National Assembly and hold early general elections after the European Parliament elections ended, revealing a crushing defeat for the far-right National Rally (RN) led by Marine Le Pen.
Immediately after the exit poll results of the European Parliament elections were announced, President Macron stated in a national address, "I have decided to return the choice of the future of the parliament to you," and declared, "I am dissolving the National Assembly this evening." He emphasized, "The first round of the lower house elections will be held on the 30th of this month, and the second round on the 7th of next month," calling it "a serious and significant decision." He added, "Above all, it is an act based on trust," and expressed confidence in the French people's ability to make the best choice for themselves and future generations.
This move came in response to exit poll results showing that Macron's party, Renaissance, suffered a complete defeat to the far-right RN in the French European Parliament elections. For President Macron, who found himself politically on the defensive, this was interpreted as a strategic use of his presidential prerogative to dissolve the parliament in an attempt to bring about change.
According to the previously released first round of country-specific election forecasts for the European Parliament, RN was expected to secure 31.5% of the vote. If this result holds, RN would become the first single French party in the history of European Parliament elections to achieve over 30% of the vote. In contrast, Renaissance's expected vote share was only 15.2%.
In his speech, President Macron acknowledged defeat, saying, "We cannot just act as if nothing has happened." However, he warned strongly against the rise of far-right forces, stating, "The rise of nationalists and demagogues threatens not only our country but all of Europe, as well as France's position in Europe and the world," and described the far-right as "forces that impoverish the French people while bringing our country to ruin."
Marine Le Pen, leader of the RN, welcomed the announcement of early general elections. She stated, "It shows that when the people vote, the people win," and added, "We are ready to rebuild the nation, defend the interests of the French people, and end the war."
Marine Le Pen, leader of the French National Rally (RN), is giving a speech at an election-related event held in Paris on the 9th (local time). The far-right party RN, led by Le Pen, was expected to receive about 32% of the vote according to the exit polls released for the European Parliament elections on the same day. [Image source=Yonhap News]
In France, parliamentary elections are usually held within weeks after a new president with a five-year term is elected. The next general election was scheduled for mid-2027. The last president to dissolve the parliament using this presidential prerogative was Jacques Chirac in 1997. Before him, Presidents Fran?ois Mitterrand and Charles de Gaulle each exercised the right to dissolve the parliament twice.
France24 reported, "President Macron shocked the nation by dissolving the parliament and announcing early general elections," calling it "Macron's gamble." The BBC described the move as "surprising and a significant risk for President Macron," noting that "the possibility of another RN victory must be acknowledged." Most experts view Macron's decision as a calculated move, concluding that he could no longer ignore Le Pen's rise and thus took a decisive gamble.
The upcoming French early general election will elect 577 members of the National Assembly for a five-year term. If the RN, led by Le Pen, advances as it did in the European Parliament elections, President Macron's political career could suffer significant damage. However, some analyses suggest that because a majority is required in the first round of the French general election, it may be difficult for far-right candidates to enter the parliament. Major foreign media outlets have reported that while the French general election could provide Le Pen, a representative of the European far-right, with an unprecedented opportunity to seize power, the far-right party is not yet dominant enough to control the parliament, so concerns about parliamentary control may be unwarranted.
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