France Right-wing nationalists sink further in election polls

Until now, it looked like a landslide victory for the right-wing nationalists in the French elections. However, polls now no longer see an absolute majority for Le Pen's party. Other options are becoming conceivable.

In new election polls ahead of the decisive round of the parliamentary elections in France this Sunday, Marine Le Pen's right-wing nationalist party, which is in the lead, is slipping further. A survey by the Ipsos Institute puts the Rassemblement National (RN) and its allies at just 175 to 205 seats in parliament. An absolute majority would require 289 seats. A survey by the Harris Interactive Institute put the right-wing nationalists and their allies at 185 to 215 seats.

According to the Ipsos survey, the new left-wing alliance is in second place with 145 to 175 seats, followed by the presidential camp in third place with 118 to 148 seats. The moderate wing of the bourgeois-conservative Républicains, which did not join the cooperation with the RN agreed by party leader Éric Ciotti, has 57 to 67 seats.

Strengthened left-wing alliance

According to Harris Interactive data, the left-wing alliance could end up with 168 to 198 seats, ahead of the government camp with 115 to 145 seats. According to this survey, the moderate Républicains could win between 32 and 63 seats.

With these poll results, there would at least be a mathematical prospect of a relative majority for a camp or alliance beyond the Rassemblement National. The Left Party and the presidential camp had ruled out a coalition before the election. However, according to the Ipsos figures, a collaboration between President Emmanuel Macron's center camp and the Socialists and Greens would be conceivable. In an analysis, however, the institute rated the prospect of a government alliance as low.

Various alliance possibilities

According to the data from Harris Interactive, however, it is also conceivable that the new left-wing alliance of the Greens, Communists, Socialists and Left Party could trump the RN and become the strongest force in the National Assembly. However, the left-wing alliance would also be a long way from an absolute majority and the possibility of undisturbed government.

Macron has gambled awayRight-wing nationalists could win majority in France

France's head of state Emmanuel Macron had surprisingly dissolved the National Assembly and announced new elections following the defeat of his centrist forces and the resounding victory of the right-wing nationalists in the European elections. His own position is not at stake.

dpa