With a record low turnout, less than 50% of eligible voters are expected to cast their votes in today's first round of the French parliamentary election...
... projections show Macron's Republique en Marche party winning by a landslide, set to hold a giant majority with anywhere between 400 and 445 seats in the 577-member National Assembly.
As Reuters adds, according to two pollsters, IPSOS and Kantar Sofres, his Republic On the Move (LREM) party and its ally Modem were set to win well over 400 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly.
Kantar Sofres:
- REM (Macron) 33.5%
- The Republicans 20.8%
- National Front 13.1%
- France Unbowed 11.3%
- Socialists + allies 9.5%
IPSOS:
- REM (Macron) 32.2%
- The Republicans 21.5%
- National Front 14.0%
- France Unbowed 11.0%
- Socialists + allies 10.2%
As a result of the two polls, Macron is expected to hold between 390 and 445 seats in the French parliament.
A final round of voting to be held on June 18 will determine the actual number of seats Macron wins. Today's round eliminates candidates who have gathered less than 12.5% of registered voters.
The ironic outcome of today's vote is that France is set to have a far more stable government than the UK, where after last week's loss, the countdown on Theresa May's political career has begun.