EMMANUEL MACRON VOTES IN SURPRISE FRENCH ELECTIONS AMID POLITICAL TURBULENCE

French President Emmanuel Macron cast his vote on June 30 in the first round of unexpected elections that he announced just three weeks ago.

The centrist leader took a significant risk by dissolving the lower house of parliament following significant gains by the far-right in the early June European elections. The results of two rounds of voting will determine both the prime minister and which party will control the National Assembly.

Macron faces the prospect of having to share power with parties that strongly oppose many of his policies.

The elections coincide with France's traditional first week of summer vacation, and absentee ballot requests have been at least five times higher compared to the 2022 elections. French voters are turning out in large numbers for the first-round legislative elections, with turnout unusually high at 59 percent and three hours remaining.

With agency inputs

2024-06-30T16:47:33Z dg43tfdfdgfd