The French election|The new election in France

Le Pen's party became the largest - wants more: "We need an absolute majority"

The far-right National Gathering was the largest according to the polling station polls. Now Marine Le Pen and her top candidate Jordan Bardella want more. That's what they tell the voters before the second round next Sunday.

- We need an absolute majority so that Jordan Bardella is named prime minister in eight days, says Marine Le Pen in a comment on the polling stations that give her party 34 percent of the vote, according to AFP.

Bardella promises to become "prime minister of all the French" and says he is prepared to govern "respectfully" with his political opponent Emmanuel Macron as president, he says according to Reuters.

Macron is hoping for a "broad, clearly democratic and republican alliance" ahead of the second round on July 7. He writes this in a statement according to Bloomberg.

According to tonight's polling station surveys, the National Assembly is the largest with 34 percent, the left coalition is the second largest with 28 percent and President Emmanuel Macron's group gets just over 20.

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Right-wing populist National gathering largest in French election

Every third Frenchman voted for the right-wing populist National Assembly in today's election. That's what polling station polls show when the polling stations close at 8 p.m., Le Monde reports. The party thus becomes the largest in the first round.

Marine Le Pen's party gets 34 percent. The left-wing coalition is second largest with 28 percent, while President Emmanuel Macron's group gets just over 20.

The figures are expected in view of the opinion polls, writes TT.

The second and decisive round of the election is on July 7. If the National Assembly gets its own majority, Jordan Bardella becomes prime minister and gets to govern with his opponent Emmanuel Macron as president.

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Leftist candidates pull out to save Macron

The leaders of the left-wing coalition, which was second largest with 28 percent, are withdrawing some of their candidates ahead of the second round on July 7. That's what they say in comments on the polling station polls.

- We are withdrawing our candidates where the National Assembly was the largest and the New People's Front third, says Jean-Luc Mélenchon who leads La France Insoumise according to Francetv Info.

The aim is for all votes against Le Pen's far-right party to go to Macron's Renaissance alliance. The Socialist Party's general secretary Olivier Faure says the same thing.

If the National Assembly gets its own majority in the second round, Jordan Bardella becomes prime minister and gets to govern with his opponent Emmanuel Macron as president.

According to polling station polls, the National Assembly got 34 percent in today's election, the left coalition 28 percent and Macron's group just over 20.