French parliamentary election, June-July 2024

Summary:

Compilation of information resources relating to the legislative election held in France on 30 June and 7 July 2024.

Further information:

The 577 members of the Assemblée nationale (National Assembly) are elected for five years by a two-round system in single-member constituencies. A candidate who receives an absolute majority of valid votes and a vote total greater than 25% of the registered electorate is elected in the first round. If no candidate reaches this threshold, a runoff election is held between the top two candidates plus any other candidate who received a vote total greater than 12.5% of registered voters. The candidate who receives the most votes in the second round is elected.

A snap parliamentary election was called following following French President Emmanuel Macron's decision to dissolve the National Assembly following the outcome of the elections to the European Parliament in the country. Facing a surging National Rally (Rassemblement National - RN), several left-wing parties agreed on a pre-electoral alliance named New Popular Front (Noveau Front Populaire - NFP). The narrative during the electoral campaign was set around the threats of a potential parliamentary majority for the far-right, but also around the economic situation in France and immigration.

The first round of the election resulted in a victory for RN, followed by the NFP and the centrist Together (Ensemble). Ahead of the second round, many third-placers from the NFP and Ensemble decided to withdraw in favour of other candidates better placed to defeat candidates of the far-right. These moves may have helped overturn the result following the second round, as the NFP eventually gathered the most seats in the new Assembly configuration, followed by Ensemble and the RN. No parliamentary majority was achieved, suggesting difficulties in the formation of a new cabinet.

Official

Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe: ODIHR: France: Early Parliamentary Elections, 30 June 2024 https://www.osce.org/odihr/elections/france/571831

French Government: Direction de l’information légale et administrative (DILA): Vie Publique: Actualités, 01/07/2024: Législatives 2024 : les résultats du premier tour https://www.vie-publique.fr/en-bref/294751-legislatives-2024-les-resultats-du-premier-tour

---

News

France24: Tag: French Legislative Elections 2024 https://www.france24.com/en/tag/french-legislative-elections-2024/

Politico: Tag: French Election 2024 https://www.politico.eu/tag/french-election-2024/

Le Monde: 2024 French Elections https://www.lemonde.fr/en/2024-french-elections/

Deutsche Welle: French election 2024 https://www.dw.com/en/french-election-2024/t-38687770

Euronews: Tag: 2024 French Legislative Election https://www.euronews.com/tag/2024-french-legislative-election

RFI News: Tag: French Elections 2024 https://www.rfi.fr/en/tag/french-elections-2024/

EurActiv, 11/06/2024: France’s far-right National Rally projected to win snap election without absolute majority https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/frances-far-right-national-rally-projected-to-win-snap-election-without-absolute-majority/

EurActiv, 18/06/2024: Campaigning takes off in France for snap election in two weeks https://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/campaigning-takes-off-in-france-for-snap-election-in-two-weeks/

BBC News, 27/06/2024: Le Pen threatens to challenge Macron's army powers https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ce7812ej0k1o

Associated Press (AP News), 28/06/2024: High-stakes French legislative election hits torrid final stretch before first-round voting begins https://apnews.com/article/france-election-macron-ukraine-russia-0f398933aa886f01858f2cb0ceed4922

BBC News, 01/07/2024: France's far right celebrates lead and seeks majority https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cx82n333ze7o

The Guardian, 01/07/2024: French left and centrists scramble to unite against far right for election runoff https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/01/french-left-centrists-scramble-unite-against-far-right-election-runoff

BBC News, 02/07/2024: French election candidates withdraw in bid to block far right https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cg3m98j3zpyo

Reuters, 02/07/2024: French candidates bow out in bid to block far-right https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/french-candidates-bow-out-concerted-bid-block-far-right-2024-07-02/

The Guardian: Europe Live, 03/07/2024: Hundreds of France election candidates withdraw amid pressure over tactical approach to stopping far right – Europe live https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/jul/03/france-election-far-right-europe-live-latest-news

The Guardian, 03/07/2024: A tale of two elections: how angry voters in France and UK turned on their leaders https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/03/two-elections-angry-voters-france-uk-calais-dover

Reuters, 07/07/2024: Go vote, parties tell French voters ahead of cliffhanger runoff https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/national-rally-fall-short-absolute-majority-french-parliamentary-elections-poll-2024-07-05/

Associated Press (AP News), 08/07/2024: French vote gives leftists most seats over far right, but leaves hung parliament and deadlock https://apnews.com/article/france-elections-far-right-macron-08f10a7416a2494c85dcd562f33401d1

The Guardian: Europe Live, 08/07/2024: France: Emmanuel Macron asks Gabriel Attal to stay on as PM for time being amid political deadlock – as it happened https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2024/jul/08/france-election-2024-live-updates-legislatives-results-macron-melenchon-le-pen-attal-ensemble-rn-nfp

---

Commentary and Analysis

The Economist, 10/06/2024: Macron’s mega-gamble. Why France’s president called a snap election https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/06/10/why-frances-president-called-a-snap-election

ING Think, 11/06/2024: How French politics could affect European asset markets in June https://think.ing.com/articles/french-politics-how-european-asset-markets-could-perform-in-june/

Fitch Ratings: Fitch Wire, 11/06/2024: France’s Snap Election Heightens Fiscal and Reform Uncertainty https://www.fitchratings.com/research/sovereigns/frances-snap-election-heightens-fiscal-reform-uncertainty-11-06-2024

Hertie School: Jacques Delors Centre: Policy Brief, 14/06/2024: Three weeks until the decision: The early election of the French National Assembly https://www.delorscentre.eu/en/publications/detail/publication/the-early-election-of-the-french-national-assembly

The Economist, 16/06/2024: France is being thrown into uncharted territory https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/06/16/france-is-being-thrown-into-uncharted-territory

Project Syndicate: Commentary, 20/06/2024: The Financial Risks of France’s Snap Election https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/french-election-2024-risks-to-french-economy-and-eurozone-by-brigitte-granville-2024-06

Social Europe, 20/06/2024: France, Europe and another election https://www.socialeurope.eu/france-europe-and-another-election

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: Strategic Europe: Commentary, 25/06/2024: France’s High-Stakes Election Showdown https://carnegieendowment.org/europe/strategic-europe/2024/06/frances-high-stakes-election-showdown?lang=en

Wilson Center: Wilson Smart Takes, 25/06/2024: France Braces for High-Stakes Election https://www.wilsoncenter.org/video/france-braces-high-stakes-election

The Economist: Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU): EIU Update, 25/06/2024: French election is on a knife edge https://www.eiu.com/n/french-election-is-on-a-knife-edge/

Foreign Policy: Analysis, 26/06/2024: What Would a Far-Right Victory Mean for French Foreign Policy? https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/06/26/france-macron-bardella-rn-far-right-victory-mean-foreign-policy/

The Conversation, 27/06/2024: Explainer: What’s at stake in France’s election, and could it make Macron’s government even weaker? https://theconversation.com/explainer-whats-at-stake-in-frances-election-and-could-it-make-macrons-government-even-weaker-232705

Euro|topics, June 2024: France: Will the elections bring clarity? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/322099/

Associated Press (AP News), 30/06/2024: France is facing an election like no other. Here’s how it works and what comes next https://apnews.com/article/france-election-far-right-macron-667bd7be93bedad2c0fe24f55d723b3f

The Economist, 30/06/2024: France’s political earthquake. A crushing blow for Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/06/30/a-crushing-blow-for-emmanuel-macrons-centrist-alliance

BBC News: Analysis, 30/06/2024: Le Pen's party now dominant force in France https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cd10g29l7y4o

Reuters, 01/07/2024: France election 2024: How will the second round run-off work? https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/three-way-run-offs-horse-trading-what-happens-next-french-elections-2024-06-30/

Foreign Policy, 01/07/2024: Economic Issues Drove France’s Far-Right Win https://foreignpolicy.com/2024/07/01/france-far-right-economy-election-first-round/

Euro|topics, June 2024: French election: what lies ahead for Europe? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/322396/

Foreign Affairs, 04/07/2024: How France Fell to the Far Right. In the End, Le Pen Hardly Had to Moderate to Gain Power https://www.foreignaffairs.com/france/how-france-fell-far-right-le-pen-macron

Euro|topics, June-July 2024: France: all together against the RN? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/322302/

The Atlantic, 05/07/2024: How Macron Lost France to the Extremes https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2024/07/macron-france-bardella-lepen-election/678905/

Le Monde, 07/07/2024: 2024 French elections: Map and chart of results https://www.lemonde.fr/en/les-decodeurs/article/2024/07/07/2024-french-election-results-chart-and-map-of-second-round-winners_6676976_8.html

Birmingham University: News, 08/07/2024: French election results: Macron’s authority has clearly been diminished https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/news/2024/french-election-results-macrons-authority-has-clearly-been-diminished

Royal Institute of International Affairs (Chatham House): Expert Comment, 08/07/2024: Four far-reaching consequences of France’s shock election result https://www.chathamhouse.org/2024/07/four-far-reaching-consequences-frances-shock-election-result

BBC News, 08/07/2024: What just happened in France's shock election? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c724nnn29keo

The Economist, 08/07/2024: The French parliamentary election. After a deadlocked election, can anyone govern France? https://www.economist.com/europe/2024/07/08/after-a-deadlocked-election-can-anyone-govern-france

The Guardian: Analysis, 08/07/2024: Political paralysis looms in France after shock election result https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/08/political-paralysis-looms-in-france-after-second-shock-election-result

Project Syndicate: Commentary, 09/07/2024: The Most Incredible Election in French History https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/french-election-2024-no-real-winners-more-confusion-by-zaki-laidi-2024-07

Council on Foreign Relations: Expert Briefs, 10/07/2024: What Do France’s Surprise Election Results Mean for the Far Right? https://www.cfr.org/expert-brief/what-do-frances-surprise-election-results-mean-far-right

Euro|topics, July 2024: After the election: where is France headed? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/322680/

Euro|topics, July 2024: France: how urgently does it need a new government? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/323201/

Centre for European Reform (CER): Insights, 19/07/2024: The murky world of French politics https://www.cer.eu/insights/murky-world-french-politics

Atlantic Council: Econographics Blog, 26/07/2024: What French economic policy may look like after the Olympics https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/econographics/what-french-economic-policy-may-look-like-after-the-olympics/

UK in a Changing Europe: Analysis, 08/08/2024: A Summer of Fun and Games? French Politics and the 2024 Legislative Elections https://ukandeu.ac.uk/a-summer-of-fun-and-games-french-politics-and-the-2024-legislative-elections/

---

Wikipedia: 2024 French legislative election https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_French_legislative_election

International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES): Election Guide: France https://www.electionguide.org/countries/id/75/

---