French Election Results Reveal Populist Le Pen Party Wins Most Votes But Secures Third Most Seats
The recent French elections highlighted a significant disparity between the number of votes won by the populist National Rally (RN) and the number of seats they secured in the National Assembly. Despite Marine Le Pen’s party winning the most votes, they were awarded the third most seats due to strategic alliances between President Emmanuel Macron and the far-left New Popular Front.
The French Interior Ministry reported that the National Rally (RN) received over 8.7 million votes, accounting for 32.05% of the total votes in Sunday’s second round of the snap legislative elections. When combined with their allies from Eric Ciotti’s Les Républicains, who garnered nearly 1.4 million votes (5%), the right-wing bloc secured 37.05% of the vote.
In comparison, the far-left New Popular Front, led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon and comprising communists, socialists, and environmentalists, received around seven million votes (25.7%). President Macron’s centrist coalition earned 6.3 million votes (23.15%).
Despite the RN’s vote share, the New Popular Front was awarded the most seats, projected at 182 by Le Monde. Macron’s coalition was projected to win 168 seats, while the RN, despite leading in vote share, secured 143 seats.
This disparity arose from a strategic pact between President Macron and the New Popular Front, where they agreed to withdraw candidates in over 200 districts to prevent the populist party from winning. This alliance effectively blocked the RN from translating their vote share into a proportional number of seats.
RN’s Jordan Bardella criticized the “alliance of dishonour” between Macron and the New Popular Front, arguing it would lead France into the hands of the far-left. Former RN presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, however, put a positive spin on the outcome: “Two years ago we had just seven MPs. Tonight RN is the first party in France in terms of MP numbers.”
While Macron’s coalition and the New Popular Front boast more seats collectively, they are coalitions of various smaller parties. The RN stands as the only single party to have over 100 seats in the National Assembly.
Although the result is disappointing for the populist party, it may position the RN for a stronger bid in the 2027 presidential election. With a looming debt crisis, the RN’s exclusion from power could shield them from blame for potential economic difficulties. Additionally, Emmanuel Macron, who has successfully rallied centrists, will be barred from running for presidency again due to term limits, potentially easing the RN’s path to power.