Polls Open in French Parliamentary Election amid Left Surge
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – French voters have started casting their ballot in the first round of parliamentary elections, as President Emmanuel Macron seeks to secure his majority amid a resurgent left-wing coalition.
Polling stations opened at 8am (06:00 GMT) on Sunday, after voters in overseas territories cast ballots earlier in the weekend. About 48 million citizens are eligible to vote, Al Jazeera reported.
Elections for the 577 seats in the lower house National Assembly are a two-round process.
More than 6,000 candidates, ranging in age from 18 to 92, are running to win seats in the National Assembly in the first round of the election. Those who receive the most votes will advance to the decisive second round on June 19.
Following Macron’s reelection in May, his centrist coalition is seeking an absolute majority that would enable it to implement his campaign promises, which include tax cuts and raising the retirement age from 62 to 65.
