Riots broke out in France over the weekend after the right-wing candidate won the first round of legislative elections.
The right-wing populist National Rally Party (FN), led by Macron’s arch-nemesis Marine Le Pen, won the first round of France’s parliamentary elections on Sunday.
Current results show the National Rally Party taking 34% of the vote, with the far-left New Popular Front (NFP) coalition five points behind at 29%.
France saw an unusually high 59% turnout of voters over the weekend.
The percentage markers a 20 percent higher turnout then at the same time in the last first-round vote in 2022.
Voters across France cast ballots this weekend in the first round of early parliamentary elections that could witness conservative leadership for the first time since the Nazi era.
Several right-wing parties gained traction in recent European elections.
French President Emmanuel Macron was defeated by Marine Le Pen’s Nationalist Party, prompting him to announce new elections to take place later this month. Voters will head back to the polls to choose lawmakers for France’s National Assembly.
“The rise of nationalists and demagogues is a danger for our nation and for Europe,” Macron said. “After this day, I cannot go on as though nothing has happened.”
