Macron’s party set for huge win in parliamentary polls
French voters have put President Emmanuel Macron’s party on course for a crushing parliamentary majority, though a record low turnout in the first round of voting raised concerns on Monday over the strength of his future mandate.
Projections showed Mr Macron widening his centrist revolution, with his Republique en Marche (Republic on the Move, REM) party and its ally MoDem tipped to win between 400 and 445 seats in the 577-member National Assembly in next Sunday’s second round.
Such a share would give Mr Macron — who founded his party just a year ago — one of the biggest parliamentary majorities seen in the modern French state.
“France is back,” Prime Minister Edouard Philippe declared triumphantly.
British Prime Minister Theresa May had hoped to be in Paris on Tuesday with a strong popular mandate for a “hard” Brexit.
Instead she finds herself meeting French President Emmanuel Macron enfeebled and isolated.
The difference in their fortunes is striking: He is a young new centrist leader seemingly clearing all obstacles from his path after standing in his first-ever election this spring.
She is a 60-year-old rightwing veteran who bungled a snap election last week and is now fighting to keep her job following the loss of the Conservative party’s majority in the British parliament.
Over a working dinner and at a football match together, Ms May and Mr Macron had been expected to discuss Brexit and deepen a relationship that would be crucial during Britain’s divorce from the European Union.
But uncertainty about Ms May’s future has led to reassessments only days before the expected start of Brexit negotiations in Brussels. Mr Macron’s stunning election has also helped tip the balance further away from Britain, with the European Union appearing stronger and more united than many observers expected.