Macron's High-Stakes Gamble: Surprise Elections Amid Far-Right Surge

French President Emmanuel Macron has initiated early parliamentary elections three weeks ago, aiming to regain control after far-right success in European elections. The two-round voting will decide the Prime Minister and party control over the National Assembly. Macron faces potential power-sharing with opposition parties.

In a bold political maneuver, French President Emmanuel Macron cast his vote on Sunday in the first round of parliamentary elections he called for just three weeks prior. The centrist leader's decision to dissolve the lower house of parliament came on the heels of significant gains by the far-right in European elections held in early June.

This two-round election will be crucial in determining who will hold the office of Prime Minister and which party will control the National Assembly. Macron's gamble carries the risk of ultimately sharing power with opposition parties, many of whom are at odds with his core policies.

The timing of the vote, coinciding with the beginning of France's summer vacation season, has led to absentee ballot requests spiking to at least five times the number observed during the 2022 elections.

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