Voter turnout in the second round of the French parliamentary elections has reached a record by midday Paris time, the French Ministry of the Interior reported on social network X.
"As of 12 pm [local time], voter turnout in the parliamentary elections was 26.63%. In the 2022 parliamentary elections, turnout at the same time was 18.99%," the ministry specified.
In the first round, the National Rally garnered 33.15% of the votes, the left-wing New People's Front received 27.99% and President Emmanuel Macron's center-right coalition came in third with 20.04%.
To prevent the RN from coming to power, Macron's supporters and the left have started withdrawing their candidates who came third in their electoral districts to concentrate votes on the anti-Le Pen candidate.
It is anticipated that in the second-round "duels," where Le Pen's party candidates will face off against candidates from Macron's coalition or the left, the National Rally will have fewer chances of winning. A total of 224 candidates have withdrawn their candidacies.