President Emmanuel Macron of France, hit by a crushing far-right defeat in European elections, dissolved the lower house of parliament on Sunday and called for legislative elections starting June 30.
His decision, announced in a television broadcast to the nation, was a measure of the devastating nature of the European Parliament election result, which gave the National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen and her hugely popular protégé, Jordan Bardella, around of 31.5 percent of the votes. the vote, at around 15.2 percent for Macron’s Renaissance party. It became by far the leading party in France.
“The rise of nationalists and demagogues is a danger for our nation and for Europe,” Macron said. “After this day I cannot continue as if nothing had happened.”
The French leader has always been a passionate supporter of the 27-nation European Union, seeing it as the only means for Europe to count in the world and calling for it to achieve “strategic autonomy” through increasing integration. But the political winds have turned in favor of less Europe, not more.
Macron’s decision, on the eve of the Summer Olympics that begin in Paris in July, marked the beginning of a period of deep political uncertainty in France. If the National Rally repeats its performance in the national elections, the country could become almost ungovernable, and Macron would face a Parliament hostile to everything he believes in.
“It is a serious and weighty decision,” he acknowledged. “But above all, it is an act of trust” in French voters, she said.
The French parliamentary elections take place in two rounds. The second round will be held on July 7, less than a month from now.
Ségolène Le Stradic contributed with reports.