High turnout in France for the elections: Many shops were barricaded due to fear of violence

The turnout in the French parliamentary elections was 26 percent by midday on Sunday, which is the highest number in more than 40 years, the BBC reports. The turnout is higher than expected and seems to reverse the trends that have appeared in recent years, adds the BBC. This is an increase compared to the parliamentary elections in 2022, when 18.43 percent of those who went to the polls were recorded at that moment of the day.

– This is the highest level since the 1981 parliamentary elections – said Mathieu Gallard, director of research at the Ipsos polling institute.

The increase applies especially to Paris, where the turnout was 25.48 percent, while at the same time in 2022 it was 12.8 percent, French media reported. This shows how high the stakes are in these elections, after which in the end one of the two largest powers of the European Union could get a populist right-wing government.

On Sunday, in the first round of elections for the National Assembly of France, President Emmanuel Macron would like to increase the relative majority in the lower house that his Renaissance movement has, while the leader of the French far-right Marine Le Pen is convinced that ć will win an absolute majority in the parliament.

Polling stations opened at 8 am, and 49.3 million people have the right to vote. Macron called the snap election after Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN) made major gains in European Parliament elections earlier this month.

RN is leading in pre-election polls ahead of the new left-wing alliance, the New People’s Front (NPF), recently founded to compete in the elections. The centrist Renaissance is in third place. Le Pen is convinced that her party will win an absolute majority in parliament, form a government and impose restrictions on President Macron regarding Ukraine.

Candidates who win an absolute majority in the first round enter the Assembly, but in most constituencies the winner will be known only after the second round on July 7. Macron’s second and final term ends in 2027, and he remains president regardless of the election results, but he may have to share power with opponents. A sharp drop in support for the Renaissance will certainly limit its effectiveness. Marine Le Pen from RN is considered a serious opponent in the next presidential elections.

In France, there are fears of violence on election day, so many traders have barricaded their shops across the country..