France Votes In Key Election That Could Force Macron To Share Power With Far Right

PARIS (AP) — Voting was underway in France on Sunday in pivotal runoff elections that could hand a historic victory to Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally and its inward-looking, anti-immigrant vision — or produce a hung parliament and political deadlock.

The snap legislative elections in this nuclear-armed nation and major economy will influence the war in Ukraine, global diplomacy and Europe’s economic stability, and they’re almost certain to undercut French President Emmanuel Macron for the remaining three years of his presidency. He took a huge gamble in dissolving parliament and calling for the vote after his centrists were trounced in European elections on June 9.

The first round on June 30 saw the largest gains ever for the nationalist National Rally, which came out on top. But the outcome of the second round is highly uncertain, especially because the center and left worked together to increase the chances of defeating the nationalist party and called on their supporters to do everything in their power to block it.

Over 49 million people are registered to vote in the elections, that will determine which party controls the 577-member National Assembly, France’s influential lower house of parliament, and who will be prime minister. If support is further eroded for Macron’s weak centrist majority, he will be forced to share power with parties opposed to most of his pro-business, pro-European Union policies.

Voters at a Paris polling station were acutely aware of the the far-reaching consequences for France and beyond.

“The individual freedoms, tolerance and respect for others is what at stake today,” said Thomas Bertrand, a 45-year-old voter who works in advertising.

Racism and antisemitism have marred the