Macron must win at least 289 of the 577 seats needed to get a majority to pass the law during his second five-year term.
According to Sunday’s predictions, the centrist coalition of French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to retain its parliamentary majority after the first round of voting.
Predictions based on partial results of the election Nationally, Macron’s party and its allies received about 25-26 percent of the vote. They were neck-and-neck with the new left coalition of hardline leftists, Socialists and Green Party supporters.
Nonetheless, Macron’s candidates are predicted to win in a greater number of districts than their left – wing rivals, giving the presidency a majority.
Macron must win at least 289 of the 577 seats needed to get a majority to pass the law during his second five-year term.
Government insiders expected Macron’s coalition “Ensemble” to play a relatively bad game in the first round, but a large number of voters abstained.
Michael Kibos, 71, said: “I voted in favor … so I did not vote for our current president.
Evan Warren, who voted for Macron in the presidential election, wants to get a majority.
“It is important to me that we have a strong government that allows us to represent France in the most effective way possible,” said the 56-year-old computer scientist.
Elections for the 577 seats in the lower house of the National Assembly are a two-round process. More than 6,000 candidates, ranging in age from 18 to 92, are vying for seats in the first round of the National Assembly. Those with the most votes will advance to the decisive second round on June 19.
Following Macron’s re-election in May, his centrist coalition wants an absolute majority to help implement his campaign promises, including tax cuts and raising the retirement age from 62 to 65.
‘Collaboration’
The main opposition is a new coalition of leftists, Greens and communists led by hardline leftist Jean-Luc Mன்சlenchon.
Mlenchon urged the electorate to give his coalition a majority, thereby urging Macron to appoint a prime minister, which would provoke a situation known as “cooperation.”
The platform of the left includes significant minimum wage increases, lowering the retirement age to 60 and locking up energy prices.
Although Mélenchon’s coalition could win more than 200 seats, current estimates do not give the left a chance to win a majority. According to the latest opinion polls, Macron and his allies are expected to win between 260 and 320 seats.
The French far-right, led by Marine Le Pen, is expected to win at least 15 seats, allowing it to form a parliamentary committee and gain more power in the legislature.
Parliamentary elections have traditionally been a tough contest for far-right candidates because rivals tend to stay away from the second round and improve another candidate’s chances.
Le Pen hopes the National Rally will perform better than it won eight seats five years ago.
Results may be affected by the expected low turnout. Less than half of France’s 48.7 million voters say they will vote.
