Macron dissolves French parliament, calls a snap election
What's the story
French President Emmanuel Macron has called for a snap parliamentary election within the next 30 days after exit polls indicated the far-right opposition would easily defeat his Renaissance party in the European parliamentary elections.
Snap elections are elections that are called earlier than the ones scheduled.
In the poll projections, Macron's party, led by MEP Valérie Hayer, secured between 14.8% and 15.2% of votes in the European poll, falling significantly short of the far-right National Rally (RN) party's 32%-33% tally.
Election schedule
Snap election dates announced amid political crisis
In a celebratory speech following the release of the exit poll, RN leader Jordan Bardella called on Macron to dissolve the French parliament, the National Assembly.
He described the difference between the two parties as a "stinging disavowal" of the president.
Shortly thereafter, Macron announced the dissolution of the French lower house and the holding of parliamentary elections.
Macron said that the first round will be held on June 30 and the second round on July 7.
Opposition response
National Rally welcomes Macron's decision
"I have decided to give you back the choice of your parliamentary future by voting," Macron announced.
Marine Le Pen, the RN's figurehead and presidential candidate, welcomed Macron's decision.
She stated that her party was "ready to take power if the French people have confidence in us in these forthcoming legislative elections."
"We are ready to put the country back on its feet," she added.
Political struggles
Macron's party faces challenges after European election defeat
The upcoming parliamentary elections, however, will have no impact on Macron's employment because they are separate from the presidential elections.
His term as president remains until 2027.
In the last parliamentary elections in 2022, the Ensemble coalition, which includes Macron's Renaissance, fell short of an overall majority.
Since then, Macron's centrist coalition has been pushing through legislation without a vote in the assembly, using a constitutional tool known as 49/3.
Last snap election
Parliament was last dissolved in 1997
Parliament was last dissolved by a French president in 1997, which resulted in Jacques Chirac losing his majority and the rise of the Socialists under Lionel Jospin.
Since then, no president has dissolved parliament.
This is in part due to the fact that presidential and parliamentary terms were synchronized in 2000, and voters have handed each incoming president a parliamentary majority—until Macron's reelection in 2022.