Marine Le Pen and her far-right National Rally (RN) have secured a significant victory in France's snap election, sparking varied reactions from domestic rivals and international politicians.
In the first round of the parliamentary election, RN captured nearly 34% of the vote, marking a major win but falling short of an absolute majority in parliament. Le Pen, positioned ahead of the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) coalition with around 29% and President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Ensemble alliance with about 20.5%, urged French citizens to rally behind her party for the upcoming second round.
Despite his party's setback, Macron praised the high voter turnout of 65.8% and reaffirmed his call to counter the far-right in the next round.
"Confronted with the National Rally, the moment calls for a strong democratic and republican union for the second round," the president emphasized in an official statement.
Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the center-left, characterized the president's defeat as "severe and undeniable," attributing it to Macron's unexpected decision to dissolve the parliament. However, he underscored that halting the far-right's momentum was of utmost importance.
"No more votes for the RN, no more seats for the RN," Melenchon stressed.
The RN's breakthrough resonated positively with Europe's far-right. Viktor Orban, Hungary’s prime minister, expressed optimism following the first-round results, coinciding with Hungary assuming the EU's rotating presidency amidst concerns over its government's authoritarian stance and alignment with Russia.
Orban asserted, "Things cannot continue as they are in Brussels. Change is necessary. This is evident from the recent developments in Belgium and France."
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni echoed similar sentiments, criticizing attempts to vilify hard-right voters as ineffective. She argued, "The persistent effort to demonize those who don't align with the left is losing its sway."
In the UK, Keir Starmer, leader of the Opposition Labour Party, interpreted RN's gains in France as a call for progressives to assert their solutions amidst political disillusionment.
"We must advocate for progressive policies and restore faith in politics as a force for good," Starmer urged, reflecting on the UK's own upcoming general elections.
Israel's diaspora minister Amichai Chikli expressed admiration for Le Pen's positions, aligning them with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stance.
Chikli highlighted, "Le Pen's firm stance against entities like Hamas and her stance on anti-Semitism could be beneficial for Israel."
On the contrary, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk issued a cautionary note regarding the far-right's rise, particularly their affinity towards unchecked power and ties with Putin's Russia.
"Their consolidation in European politics poses a serious threat. Poland narrowly avoided this scenario," Tusk warned.
Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz refrained from commenting directly on foreign elections, maintaining a stance of non-interference. However, Michael Roth, a Social Democrat member, criticized the party for not sufficiently supporting Macron, noting the potential rise of hard-right nationalism across Europe.
Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez echoed concerns about the far-right's ascendancy, linking it to broader trends in European politics.
"The rise of the far-right in France mirrors similar developments elsewhere, including Spain," Sanchez observed, underscoring the institutional and electoral gains made by far-right factions.
Meanwhile, financial markets in France and across Europe responded favorably to the election outcome. French stocks and the euro rallied, with the CAC 40 index jumping 2.7% initially before stabilizing. The euro strengthened against the US dollar, reaching its highest level in over two weeks, buoyed by renewed market confidence.
European stocks, represented by the STOXX 600 index, also saw gains, bouncing back from recent losses partly due to the positive performance of the CAC 40.
Overall, RN's electoral success in France has set the stage for a contentious second round, prompting varied reactions and concerns both domestically and across Europe.
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