The Bottom Line Upfront: 

The current French President Emmanuel Macron suggested a snap election that has seen favor for the far-right party of the National Rally party, led by Marine Le Pen. 

The Breakdown:

  • The French government is set to deploy 30,000 police in the wake of the snap election's chaos, as a real element of fear takes over in the country, and in neighboring Europe. Germany has signaled its concern that, as one of the leads of the European Union, the strain from a fractured France could cause issues with French-German diplomacy.
  • Alarm rises between France and Germany as the domestic political meltdown has taken place directly following the choice to deepen military ties between France, Germany, and Poland, as Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine causes concern to neighboring Europe.
  • This vote has secured a strong lead in the first round of France's legislative elections, causing political uncertainty and challenging centrist President Emmanuel Macron's leadership. 
  • As Le Pen has gained ground, French protesters have taken to the streets in mass chaotic protests, with reported assaults and calls to "take up guns" if the far-right party was to win, Le Monde reported. 
  • The National Rally party received about one-third of the national vote, according to projections.
  • This success follows Macron's decision to dissolve the National Assembly, aiming to prevent a repeat of the far-right's European Parliament victory.
  • If the National Rally secures a majority in the second round, Marine Le Pen's protégé, Jordan Bardella, could become prime minister.
  • The potential for a far-right government has raised concerns in Paris over civil liberties and France's relationship with the EU, the Associated Press reported. 
  • An independent observer analyst from right-leaning broadcast agency Sky News, who was based in Burgundy at the time of his analysis, explained that the reason right-leaning groups are voting en masse is because Paris is a "different country" than the rest of France. The people of the provinces feel underrepresented, he reasoned. He continued to compare the domestic policies of France in splitting a "new France" with a more conservative led France with a more "extreme" left. He likewise cautioned that people should seek to understand the discontent within France, and why the people are voting for Le Pen, rather than the left-leaning candidate. 
  • Macron's call for a vote was considered "irresponsible" as the Olympics loom later in July, and the world's eyes are drawn to the chaos in the nation. 
  • The Atlantic Council pointed to the French fragile financial situation, and called out Macron's decision for a destabilizing situation, as the Olympics was awaited as a "denouement " for the nation to bring back its budget deficits with the economic stimulation anticipated by the Olympics.