Emmanuel Macron scrambles to form left-wing and centrist alliance in bid to block hard right National Rally party from taking power after the French president's snap election misfire - as Keir Starmer says he WOULD work with Marine Le Pen
Emmanuel Macron is scrambling to form a centrist and left-wing alliance to block the far right National Rally party from taking control of France's government, after the president's snap election backfired.
The last-minute scramble comes after the French president's humiliation in the first round of voting.
Marine Le Pen gleefully declared that Macron's party had been 'wiped out' as she celebrated the victory - a 33 per cent share in the first round of voting.
Macron meanwhile is languishing in a distant third place with just 20% of the vote behind the left-wing New Popular Front alliance on 28%.
In response to the initial results left-wing supporters were so incensed by Le Pen's victory they took to the street in protest, setting fire to rubbish, smashing shop windows and launching fireworks.
The far-right National Rally (NR) of Marine Le Pen won a resounding victory while Macron's centrists trailing in third place behind the left-wing New Popular Front.
French President Emmanuel Macron has been scrambling for a centrist and left-wing alliance to keep Marine Le Pen's hard-right party at bay
Marine Le Pen (pictured) won a huge victory in the first round of voting on Sunday and has urged voters to throw their weight behind her once again to see in the first right-wing government since WWII
Left-wing demonstrators made their feelings about the RN known following the announcement of the results of the first round of the French parliamentary elections at Place de la Republique in Paris on June 30, 2024
Bins were overturned and set alight in the French capital following the announcement of a historic success for the hard-right party as they gathered 33 per cent of the initial vote
Demonstrators also took to the streets with banners and signs reading 'what we don't get through the ballot box, we'll get through the street' in Nantes, western France
Le Pen has urged voters to give the RN an absolute majority during a second round of voting on July 7, which would see the party's 28-year-old chief Jordan Bardella become prime minister.
Such a victory would mark the first time a hard-right force has taken power in France since World War II amid the occupation by Nazi Germany - a fact not lost on left-wing politicians.
If Le Pen's hard-right party does form a government, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he would be willing to work with them, adding that should they win at the polls it would be a lesson to everyone to listen to voters.
Although most projections show the RN falling short of an absolute majority, hordes of riot police descended on the city to quell left-wing violence.
Trained officers concentrated in the French capital's Place de la République where the police clashed with flare-toting protesters well into the early hours of the morning.
Barricades designed to keep crowds controlled were overturned as countless protesters poured into Place de la République and climbed the iconic statue showing the personification of France, Marianne.
Bins were uprooted, with their contents spread all over the tarmac and promptly set alight as protesters circled touting banners, flares and projectiles.
Young women trying to enjoy nights out in the city were forced to stand behind armoured cops who forced back the activists with batons and tear gas as firefighters were called in to douse the blazes set by protestors.
Having seemingly heard the frustrations of the left-wing rioters, Macron's camp has begun forming a left-wing alliance in the hopes that tactical voting will prevent the RN winning the 289 seats needed for an absolute majority.
Thousands of supporters of the Popular Front (Front Populaire, left coalition) march in streets near Place de la Republique on June 30, 2024 in Paris, France
People watch fireworks released during a demonstration against the French far-right in Paris
A barricade burns as protesters demonstrate against the French far-right National Rally party
Macron's Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who is likely to be forced to resign after the second round, warned that the right was now at the 'gates of power' and implored voters to block the RN in the second round set for Sunday July 7.
On Sunday night Macron called for a 'broad' democratic coalition against the far right, and convened a cabinet meeting on Monday to decide a further course of action.
'Let's not be mistaken. It's the far right that's on its way to the highest office, no one else,' he said at the meeting, according to one participant.
But he did not give any firm instructions to candidates over standing down, sources said.
The deadline to decide whether to stand down is Tuesday evening. According to a provisional count by AFP, more than 150 left-wing or centrist candidates have already dropped out.
Analysts say the most likely outcome of the snap election is a hung parliament that could lead to months of political paralysis and chaos, just as Paris is preparing to host the summer Olympic Games.
With a total of 76 candidates elected in the first round, the final composition of the 577-seat National Assembly will be clear only after the second round.
The second round will see a three-way or two-way run-off in the remainder of the seats to be decided - although a tiny number of four-way run-offs are also possible.
The arrival of the anti-immigration RN in government would be a turning point in French modern history - the first time a far-right force has taken power in the country since World War II, when it was occupied by Nazi Germany.
If the RN takes an absolute majority and Bardella, who has no governing experience, becomes prime minister, it would create a tense period of 'cohabitation' with Macron, who has vowed to serve out his term until 2027.
The election results fuelled fresh criticism of Macron's decision to call the early vote, a move he took with only a tight circle of advisors in the hours after his party was trounced by the RN in European elections last month.
Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer has said that the NR's popularity is a lesson to all to listen to disaffected voters and said he would work with Le Pen's party if he gets into power on Thursday
Tear gas was deployed against protestors in Paris in a bid to break up demonstrations
Throngs of protestors climbed up the Place de la Republique in Paris as riot police descended on the capital to quell the violence
Demonstrators gather in Place de la Republique, to protest against the rising right-wing movement after the Rassemblement National's victory in the first round of the snap general election
Demonstrators hold French flags and 'Popular Union' flags in support of the 'Nouveau Front Populaire' (New Popular Front - NFP) as they gather to protest against the French far-right
The right-wing Le Figaro said in an editorial that the country faced a 'tragedy' with only 'bad solutions' on offer.
The chaos risks damaging the international credibility of Macron, who is set to attend a NATO summit in Washington immediately after the second round.
US State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said Washington expected to continue its 'close cooperation with the French government' regardless of the election results.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the far-right success was a cause for concern, describing the RN as 'a party that sees Europe as the problem and not the solution'.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the results represented a 'very dangerous' turn for France and Europe.
Russia, which the French government has repeatedly accused of seeking to interfere in domestic politics, is following the election results in France 'very closely', Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.
With elections looming on Thursday, Labour leader Keir Starmer has sad the French results were a lesson that 'we need to address the everyday concerns of so many people'
While he accepted the results might not be what he was expecting, the potential new Prime Minister said he would be willing to work with Marine Le Pen's party if they win the French elections.
He told Sky: 'I will work with any government in Europe and across the world if we are elected in to serve the country. For me, that's what serious government is about.'
He also emphasised that an NR party would not undermine Labour's efforts to work out a better Brexit deal for the UK despite Le Pen being vocally Eurosceptic.
But far-right Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hailed the results, saying attempts to 'demonise' far-right voters were losing impact.
And Hungary's nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orban, whose country is taking over the EU's rotating presidency, said the election showed that French voters wanted 'change'.
