John Leicester, Sylvie Corbet and Barbara Surk
LA Times, July 1, 2024
“… the first round of the French vote was also sufficiently undecided to offer up the alternative possibility that France’s complex, two-round system could leave no single bloc with a clear and workable majority. That would plunge France into unknown territory.”
With the ultimate outcome still up in the air, France’s fiercely anti-immigration National Rally and opponents of the long-taboo far-right party scrambled on Monday to capitalize on an indecisive first round of voting the day before in surprise legislative elections.
Round 1 propelled the National Rally closer than ever to government but also left open the possibility that voters could yet block its path to power in the decisive Round 2. France is now facing two likely scenarios in what promises to be a torrid last week of high-stakes campaigning.
Strengthened by a surge of support that made it the winner but not yet the overall victor, the National Rally and its allies could secure a working majority in parliament in the final round next Sunday — or they might fall short, stymied at the last hurdle by opponents who still hope to prevent the formation of France’s first far-right government since World War II.
Both scenarios are fraught with uncertainty for France and its influence in Europe and beyond. … [To read the full article, click here]