Leaders of France’s far-right National Rally tried to remain optimistic despite projected results from parliamentary elections on Sunday showing the party falling short of winning the most seats. The party’s president, Jordan Bardella, stated that they were still on a path to power despite a disappointing night.
The National Rally, which had emerged as the top party in the initial round of balloting, was projected to secure its highest number of seats ever in the National Assembly. With almost all seats yet to be called, the party had amassed 142 seats, the most among all parties, and was receiving about 37% of the votes nationally.
Marine Le Pen, the leader of the National Rally, expressed that while the victory was delayed, the party’s momentum was undeniable. She emphasized that the tide of support for the party was still on the rise.
The National Rally campaigned on a platform focusing on immigration issues, advocating for “national preference” policies that prioritize citizens over immigrants in various aspects of society.
The New Popular Front coalition, formed by four left-wing parties to prevent the National Rally from securing a majority, proved to be a significant challenge for the far-right party. This alliance aimed to counter President Emmanuel Macron’s snap election call.
In the region of La Sarthe, where the National Rally had a strong showing in the initial round, the party failed to secure any seats in the runoff voting. The campaign manager for one of the National Rally candidates described the shift in votes as significant, attributing it to the recent left-wing alliance.
Despite these setbacks, the National Rally supporters remained positive about the party’s overall progress, considering the obstacles they faced in the election.
