President Emmanuel Macron of France, battered by a crushing defeat to the extreme right in European elections, dissolved the lower house of Parliament on Sunday and called for legislative elections beginning on June 30.
His decision, announced in a television broadcast to the nation, was a measure of the devastating nature of the European Parliament election result, which gave the National Rally, led by Marine Le Pen and her wildly popular protégé, Jordan Bardella, about 31.5 percent of the vote, to about 15.2 percent for Mr. Macron’s Renaissance party.
It became the leading party in France by some distance.
“The rise of nationalists and demagogues is a danger for our nation and for Europe,” Mr. Macron said.
But the political winds have turned in favor of less Europe, not more.
Persons:
Emmanuel Macron, Jordan Bardella, ” Mr, Macron, ”
Organizations:
National, Marine, European
Locations:
France, Europe, European Union