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France's Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN) party has taken the lead in the first round of French parliamentary elections, leaving President Emmanuel Macron's party falling to the third place, according to the initial projections, reported CNN. The initial estimates by IPSOS put the far-right alliance, headed by the National Rally (RN), in first with 34 per cent of the vote, ahead of the left-wing alliance in second with 28.1 per cent, while Macron's party trails in a distant third with 20.

3 per cent. Further, the projections suggested that after the second round of voting next Sunday, the RN would win between 230 and 280 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly, falling short of the 289 required for an absolute majority, as reported by CNN. The left-wing alliance, the recently-formed New Popular Front (NFP), would have between 125 and 165 seats, while Macron's Ensemble and its allies would have between 70 and 100.



The projection meant that the RN from which Le Pen has sought to sweep out the racism and antisemitism that proliferated under the decades-long leadership of her father, Jean-Marie Le Pen - is closer to power than it has ever been before, ahead of the second round of voting next Sunday. Moreover, the RN election party in the northern town of Henin Beaumont celebrated following the announcement of results, CNN reported. The voting commenced at 8 am local time (2 am ET) on Sunday, marking the start of the process to elect the 577 members of the National Asse.

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