CNN —In a surprise second-round result, the left-wing New Popular Front is projected to finish ahead of Marine Le Pen’s far-right party in French parliamentary elections, according to an IPSOS estimate.
Despite leading after the first round of votes, the far-right National Rally (RN) was projected to win between 132 and 152 seats.
But Sunday’s projection comes as a huge upset and shows French voters’ overwhelming desire to keep the far right from gaining power.
After the first round, an unprecedented number of seats – over 300 – went to a three-way runoff between Ensemble, the NFP and the RN.
By Tuesday, more than 200 centrist and left-wing candidates withdrew from the second round, in a bid to avoid splitting the vote.
Persons:
Le, –, Emmanuel Macron’s, Cheers, Luc Mélenchon, France Unbowed, ” Mélenchon, Bois de Vincennes, Jordan Bardella, Macron
Organizations:
CNN, NFP, Socialists, National Assembly, Ensemble
Locations:
France, Vichy, Paris, Stalingrad, Bois de