France votes, with Macron's majority at risk

Initial projections expected from polls that could change the face of French politics

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Voting was underway in France yesterday, in a parliamentary election that could deprive newly re-elected centrist French President Emmanuel Macron of the absolute majority he needs to govern with a free hand.

Initial projections were expected at 8pm local time (2am Singapore time) from the election that could change the face of French politics.

Turnout by midday was a bit stronger – at 18.99 per cent – than at the same time during a first round of voting on June 12 and then in 2017, when it reached only 18.43 per cent and 17.75 per cent respectively.

Mr Macron, 44, won a second term in presidential elections in April.

If yesterday’s vote does not give his camp an outright majority, it would open a period of uncertainty that could be resolved by a degree of power-sharing among parties unheard of in France over the past decades – or result in political paralysis and repeat parliamentary elections down the line.

Pollsters predict Mr Macron’s camp will end up with the biggest number of seats, but say it is in no way guaranteed to reach the 289 threshold for an absolute majority.