Why has Emmanuel Macron called an election in France? Everything you need to know about the parliamentary election that will be held within the next month

Extreme right-wing political heavyweight Marine Le Pen said on Sunday evening that her party is ‘ready to take power’ Emmanuel Macron called for a snap poll after a major defeat in the European elections.

Macron is solved France‘s parliament and announced the vote in the wake of a huge swing to the right in the country’s elections European Union elections.

The president suffered a humiliating defeat after Le Pen’s National Rally party expected to take home 31.5% of the vote.

Why has Macron decided to call elections? When will it take place and what impact will it have on the political landscape in France?

Read on below for everything you need to know about the upcoming parliamentary elections in France.

Far-right political heavyweight Marine Le Pen said on Sunday evening that her party is “ready to seize power” after Emmanuel Macron called for a snap poll

In an effort to weaken the far right, Macron is betting on his own vulnerable party and avoiding huge losses that could derail his final years in government

Why did Macron call elections?

While the news of Macron calling an election may come as a surprise to many, there is one important point to remember: the upcoming vote will be for parliamentary elections in France and not for presidential elections.

According to constitutional rules, presidents in France cannot be elected for more than two five-year terms.

Macron will have already served this after being first elected by voters in 2017 before being re-elected in 2022, making him ineligible for the 2027 presidential race.

After his announcement, Macron said: “France needs a clear majority in serenity and harmony. To be French is about choosing to make history, and not being driven by it.”

However, in an effort to weaken the far right, Macron is betting on his own vulnerable party and avoiding huge losses that could derail his final years in government, while giving Le Pen even more power.

He is also far from popular with the French public; he only survived a vote of no confidence in his government in March 2023 by just nine votes.

Analyst predictions do offer hope for the beleaguered president, however, as they have predicted that – while Le Pen’s party could win more MPs – it is unlikely to win enough seats to secure a majority – meaning the next French parliament could be even more incoherent. than the already broken one currently in place.

When are the French parliamentary elections?

Article 12 of the French Constitution allows presidents to dissolve the National Assembly to resolve political crises, such as permanent and irreconcilable disagreements between parliament and the executive.

Voters must be called to the polls within twenty to forty days of the dissolution of the assembly.

The first round of the upcoming parliamentary elections in France is then scheduled for June 30, while the second round will follow on July 7.

Will there be early presidential elections?

Jordan Bardella, chairman of France’s far-right National Rally, is seen at the party’s election night headquarters after French President Emanuel Macron announced his decision to dissolve the National Assembly.

While this is not the first time a French president has chosen to dissolve parliament, having previously done so in 1962, 1968, 1981 and 1988, their choice is not always justified.

In 1997, then-president Jacques Chirac called early parliamentary elections to see the left win a majority, effectively leaving the country in limbo for the next five years.

Because Chirac’s appeal failed spectacularly, no president has since chosen to dissolve parliament.

This is partly due to the fact that presidential and parliamentary terms were synchronized in 2000, giving voters the opportunity to give each president a parliamentary majority – until Macron’s re-election in 2022.

Although early presidential elections are unlikely, nothing can be ruled out given the landslide nature of Macron’s defeat in the European elections and his subsequent decision to call parliamentary elections.