As a result, rivals are working feverishly on Monday to keep the party from gaining an outright majority.
On Sunday, voters gave Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party a commanding lead with over 33% of the vote, thanks to a high turnout of nearly 68%. Leftist coalition the New Popular Front came in second with almost 28% of the vote. Based on data given by the Interior Ministry, the centrist group led by President Emmanuel Macron came in third place with almost 20%.
After the first round of results on Sunday night, Le Pen declared, “The French have practically wiped out the ‘Macronist’ bloc,” adding that it demonstrated voters’ “willingness to do it.
Now, the alliance of the left wing says it will pull out its candidates in districts where it placed third in order to back candidates on the right. In an effort to prevent the National Rally party from winning, Macron’s centrist alliance also announced that a few of its candidates would resign prior to the crucial runoff elections on July 7.
