Far-Right claims big victory in first round of French election voting

In a major upset, Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party has emerged victorious in the first round of French parliamentary elections, with exit polls showing them on track to win around 34% of the vote. This strong showing by the far-right has dealt a significant blow to French President Emmanuel Macron, whose centrist alliance is expected to come in third with around 20% of the vote.

The left-wing coalition, the New Popular Front, has had a better showing with around 28% of the vote, but the focus now shifts to the second round of voting and the possibility of a potential far-right government coming into power. Political rivals are already calling for an alliance against the National Rally, with left and centre party candidates expected to withdraw in the hopes of stopping Marine Le Pen’s party from gaining power.

As celebrations erupted within the National Rally camp, Marine Le Pen declared that “democracy has spoken” and emphasized the significant losses suffered by President Macron’s camp. With the second round of voting looming, the political landscape in France is sure to see further developments and challenges ahead.

For more news and updates on this developing story, stay tuned to BBC News.