France won’t vote until tomorrow – but overseas the polling stations are already opening today. The first eligible voters can cast their votes.
The first round of the French parliamentary elections has officially started. The first three polling stations opened on Saturday afternoon (8:00 a.m. local time) on the small French archipelago of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon off Canada’s east coast.
The majority of French people can vote on Sunday. Because of the time difference, voting in some overseas territories will already take place on Saturday.
Shortly after President Emmanuel Macron was re-elected for a second term, the French are electing a new parliament. The 577 seats of the National Assembly are voted on. For the center politician Macron, it is about securing a parliamentary majority again. Otherwise he would be forced to appoint a government with politicians and a prime minister from other camps.
In this case, the prime minister would have a much more important position in the state. In particular, the new left-wing alliance of the Left Party, Socialists, Greens and Communists, led by left-wing politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon, is hoping for significantly more seats in parliament.
Voter turnout was already at a low point, with polls showing that less than half wanted to cast their vote. The second round of parliamentary elections is a week from Sunday.
