France’s Political Future Hangs in Balance as Voters Head to Polls for Final Round of Snap Election

French voters are heading to the polls on Sunday for the second and final round of a snap parliamentary election. Initial results suggested the far-right National Rally (RN) could become the biggest party in the National Assembly, prompting center-right and left-wing parties to unite in an effort to block RN’s progress.

President Emmanuel Macron’s “Together” (Ensemble) alliance and the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) have called on voters to reject RN in the second round, withdrawing candidates in constituencies where another candidate has a better chance of defeating RN. This “republican front” strategy aims to prevent RN from gaining an absolute majority.

However, voter reaction remains uncertain. Voters are being urged to vote for candidates they might typically oppose, following mixed messages from political leaders. Former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe advised against voting for both RN and far-left France Unbowed (LFI) candidates, while current Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has called for a vote against RN.

A recent Harris Interactive poll for Challenges magazine indicates that RN and its allies could secure 190 to 220 seats, below the 289 needed for a majority. The center-right Republicans are expected to win 30-50 seats, making a rightwing-led minority government challenging to form. The NFP alliance is projected to win 159 to 183 seats, and Macron’s Together alliance 110 to 135 seats.

The potential for a cross-party coalition remains uncertain, with suggestions that moderates in the National Assembly might collaborate on legislation case-by-case.