"The president had no choice but to acknowledge the fact that his own party had just suffered a major defeat," Massimiliano Bonne, political analyst, whose research focuses on EU foreign policy, told Sputnik. "He had to seize the moment to regain control of history. By calling snap elections, Macron is not giving the opposition parties much time to organize."
"Dissolving without giving anyone time to organize or campaign is playing Russian roulette with the country's fate," Bonne noted. "Political experts mention a more Machiavellian tactic: Macron wants the [National Rally] to gain power and become unpopular before the 2027 presidential election. Although he cannot run for reelection, Macron wants to ensure the survival of his political party at the national and EU levels."
Le Pen welcomed Macron's move: "We’re ready to exercise power if the French people place their trust in us in these future legislative elections," she said. "We’re ready to turn the country around, ready to defend the interests of the French, ready to put an end to mass immigration, ready to make the purchasing power of the French a priority."
"He caused some confusion among France's main allies: statements about sending soldiers, for example, were quickly rejected by many European countries and NATO members," Bonne said. "In France, however, the opposition accuses Macron of adopting a more intransigent approach towards Russia for purely political reasons, with an eye to the European elections."