World

France Elections 2024 Witness Highest Voter Turnout In 40 Years

France Elections 2024 marks a significant day as voting has begun to decide the fate of Emmanuel Macron’s government. Polling agencies had predicted a victory for Marine Le Pen’s National Rally after the first round of voting on July 1, but experts suggest the possibility of a political stalemate. Security has been tightened across the country as the Paris Olympics approaches.

The euro, which had fallen after Macron’s surprise announcement of snap elections, climbed significantly on Monday, according to Reuters. While Macron’s defeat in the France Parliamentary Elections could spell bad news for the country’s economy, investors fear a hung parliament could be far worse, as they told CNN. A hung parliament occurs when no single party or existing coalition secures an absolute majority. France, the eleventh-largest economy in the European Union, accounts for about 17.2% of the total GDP.

French President Emmanuel Macron called for a snap vote after being defeated by Marine Le Pen’s National Rally in the European Parliament elections on June 9. To win a majority in the National Assembly, a party or alliance needs 289 seats, a target Macron’s party fell short of. Typically, the national assembly elections follow the presidential vote, but Macron’s surprise announcement marks the first such occurrence in 22 years.

Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party led with 33.15%, followed by the New Popular Front coalition at 27.99%, and Macron’s Ensemble alliance at 20.76%, according to CNN. As part of France’s multiparty system, a second round of voting is set for today. Only candidates who secure at least 12.5% of the vote in the first round are eligible to proceed to the second round.

Voter turnout in France soared to its highest level in four decades during the first round of voting on July 1, reaching 59.39%, the highest since the 1986 legislative vote, reported The Guardian. With the Paris Olympics set to begin on July 26 and the two-round election process underway, security measures have been significantly tightened, with 30,000 police deployed, according to the BBC.

Reports indicate dissatisfaction among Macron’s allies. A Renaissance party official stated that Macron was advised to stop campaigning and was unaware of the public’s disapproval of his personality, as reported by Politico. Macron, who first came to power in 2017, had pledged to create a centrist bloc. However, ratings agency S&P Global reduced the French government’s rating in its May 2024 report, citing a decline in its budgetary position, downgrading it. In 2023, France’s budget deficit reached 5.5% of its GDP.

Shairin Panwar

As a content writer at The Daily Guardian specializing in International Affairs, I focus on creating clear, well-researched articles that help readers stay informed about global events. I’m passionate about storytelling and aim to present important topics in an engaging and easy-to-understand way.

Recent Posts

Mamata slams Mohan Bhagwat’s ‘true independence’ statement

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday criticised RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent statement…

9 minutes ago

Arrested South Korean President Yoon Skips Second Day Of Questioning

President Yoon's refusal to cooperate with questioning follows his arrest amid a probe into his…

28 minutes ago

Arvind Kejriwal Slams BJP’s ‘Double-Engine’ Government Over Rising Insecurity, Cites Attack on Saif Ali Khan

AAP National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal strongly condemned the fatal attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali…

35 minutes ago

North India under severe cold wave, Holidays extended in several states

A severe cold wave is gripping North India, bringing dense fog, heavy rains, and freezing…

54 minutes ago

Moon Added to List of Threatened Heritage Sites, Says WMF Chief

Most of the WMF list includes sites in conflict zones, such as Ukraine and Gaza,…

54 minutes ago

Blast at Congress leader’s residence: Bajwa seeks Mann’s resignation

After the RDX blast took place at the residence of Punjab Congress leader from Batala,…

1 hour ago