“Emmanuel Macron lost this country that he claimed to modernize, reform and transform by erasing the right-left divide,” assène Blick. “This is the implacable observation of the first round of the early legislative elections, which has just ended with a clear victory for the National Rally (RN) and its allies,” adds the Swiss site.
According to the latest estimates from polling institutes, the RN would have obtained between 33.2 and 33.5% of the votes, followed by the New Popular Front (NFP, 28.1-28.5%) and Emmanuel Macron’s camp ( 21-22.1%). Thirty-nine candidates from the RN – including Marine Le Pen – and thirty-two from the NFP were elected in the first round.
“For decades, France’s two-round voting system has functioned as a bulwark against parties at the extreme ends of the political spectrum, encouraging voters to let off steam in the first round and then coalesce around an establishment candidate in the second,” analyse The Wall Street Journal.
This time seems to be over. Because, on Sunday, “Marine Le Pen’s far right has obtained its first de-demonized victory” from the hand of “the French electorate” from the first round of voting, notes Clarion, in Argentina.
“Footstep of the extreme right”
For Emmanuel Macron, “the vote result is a serious setback after betting that the victory of the National Rally in the recent elections to the European Parliament would not be repeated”, observe The New York Times.
Las ! “This Sunday, June 30, will undoubtedly go down in history as a prelude to the triumph of the French far right,” comments Free Belgium.
“After having blown up the political chessboard in 2017, Emmanuel Macron has blown up what was left of it [et] has become a stepping stone of the extreme right.”
Fact, “The first round of voting suggests that the most likely results are now either an absolute majority for the RN or an ungovernable National Assembly,” analyze the New York Times. “In the second scenario, there would be two large blocs of right and left opposed to Mr. Macron, and his very small centrist party would be stuck between the extremes” and sentenced to “relative helplessness”.
“Political chaos”
Et The Times to add, with a touch of irony: “In practice, according to polling institutes, the best Macron can hope for is a Parliament without a majority, without a party capable of forming a government, and a France facing months of legislative impasse and political chaos. ”
Pour The weather, “The question that now arises is that of possible withdrawals to block and beat the RN candidate in a three-way race, a configuration that usually leaves more chances to the extreme right. The left could then dream of a relative majority.”
An opinion shared, only in part, by Blick : “If we add the seat projections for the New Popular Front, the central bloc and the traditional right, the possibility of a final roadblock to the RN is possible.” But the site hastens to add that “The reality, however, is that such an alliance has no cohesion to offer on the evening of this first round.”
“The meeting ‘clearly Democrat and Republican’ “What Emmanuel Macron wants this evening will in any case appear artificial and circumstantial, given how far apart the programs and ambitions of each side are,” adds the Swiss media.
“Heartbreaking Divisions”
Daily fact he also judges that “this republican front is already experiencing many difficulties”, because it is “impossible” for the Macronist camp of “support the New Popular Front. At least not everywhere.” Some voters “from the center and moderate right” put into effect “on an equal footing” the party of “Le Pen and that of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of La France insoumise”, explain The country.
But in its editorial, the centre-left Spanish daily claims that “What is at stake – preventing the far right from gaining power – requires centrists and moderate conservatives to put aside their differences, and support anyone who can beat the far right,” whatever his party.
“As the second round of elections approaches, the republic seems wounded, its divisions heartbreaking,” deplores the New York Times. “The week ahead will be one of high tension,” written in echo La Libre Belgique. “A new election begins. The French will have to choose – and assume – which side of the ridge they jump to,” with the risk of a “vertiginous fall into the unknown”.
