President Emmanuel Macron dissolves parliament and calls for a snap parliamentary election after the bug defeat of his party by his political rival in the just European Union parliamentary election.
Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in the European Parliament vote is on course to win 32% of the vote, exit polls say, more than twice that of the president’s Renaissance party.
Announcing the dissolution of parliament, he said the two rounds of voting would take place on 30 June and 7 July, a few weeks before the Paris Olympics.
Mr. Macron made the dramatic and surprise decision in a televised address from the Élysée Palace an hour after voting closed and exit polls had been declared in France’s EU elections.
Why it matters
Although the parliamentary election does not directly affect President Macron, he is just two years into his administration and still has until 2027. However, running a government with a political opponent does not seem like a favorable position.
The loss of a parliamentary majority also poses a great threat to him and to the passage of bills in parliament. This is currently a tough spot for President Macron; the odds are totally against him because if the National Rally wins the votes again, he has no choice but to concede.
Obviously, the president will hope his own Renaissance party can mount a fight-back at the elections on 30 June and 7 July – or that other parties will do better too. But he must appreciate that the odds favor another victory for the National Rally. Maybe not one so sweeping as Sunday’s result, but enough for it to become the biggest party in parliament. At which point France may have a Prime Minister Marine Le Pen, or Jordan Bardella.
What They’re Saying
President Macron noted that the surprise election was in response to the message the France EU election demands. In a televised address from the Élysée Palace an hour after voting closed and exit polls had been declared in France’s EU elections, President Macron told French voters, “I have heard your message, and I will not let it go without a response.” “France needs a clear majority in serenity and harmony,” he said, adding that he could not resign himself to the far-right’s progress “everywhere on the continent.”
However, Marine Le Pen has reacted to the message saying that her party is ready to govern, “ready to exercise power, ready to put an end to mass immigration.”
Bottom Line
President Macron’s decision to dissolve parliament and call for snap elections is a bold and risky move in response to his party’s significant defeat in the EU parliamentary elections. The upcoming elections will be crucial in determining the future political landscape of France, with the potential for the far-right National Rally to gain significant power.
The outcome will have significant implications for Macron’s ability to govern effectively and pass legislation during the remainder of his term.
