France heads to the polls as centrists scramble to keep the far right from taking power

Voters are headed to the polls in France for the second round of a high-stakes election that will decide if the far right National Rally will win a majority in Parliament.

PARIS — Voters are headed to the polls in France for the second round of a high-stakes election that will decide whether an ascendant far right wins an absolute majority in Parliament, or if the polarized nation will vote in a contentious, deeply-divided government.

“I think people in France just want to let the politicians know that they are angry,” Jean Maleyrat said of the mood that led up to the divisive election, as he cast his vote on a quiet Sunday morning in a working class district of Paris.

The snap elections, called to widespread shock less than four weeks ago by President Emmanuel Macron, plunged France into a volatile, rapid-fire election season that has inflamed tensions in the country and forced centrists to scramble to negotiate with the left to keep the far right from claiming a historic victory.

Voting began in mainland France at 8 a.m. local time (2 a.m. ET), and the final stations will close at 8 p.m. (2 p.m. ET), at which time polling agencies will share projections, with the official tally expected early Monday.

National Rally, known as RN in France, swept to victory in the first round of voting last weekend, taking a third of the votes, with a bloc of left-wing parties in second at 28%, and Macron’s centrist alliance trailing in third with just 20% after his gamble to call the election backfired spectacularly.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/far-france-runoff-snap-elections-rcna160525

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