Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) has achieved historic gains in the first-round vote of the French parliamentary elections held on June 30, raising the possibility of France's first far-right government since World War II. Le Pen is confident that her RN could win an absolute majority in parliament.

In the first round, 76 lawmakers, mostly from the far-right and left, were elected outright. President Emmanuel Macron had called the snap elections three years ahead of time after his centrist bloc was defeated by the far-right National Rally in last month's EU parliament election.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, a member of Macron's centrist Renaissance party, voted in the second round of legislative elections. Attal, France's youngest-ever prime minister, was named in early January.

The far-right National Rally is expected to make a strong showing in the second round of legislative elections, with voters in former left-wing strongholds giving considerable support to the party in the first round. Polls opened at 8 am (0600 GMT) on Sunday and will close at 6 pm in towns and small cities and 8 pm (1800 GMT) in larger cities. Results are expected this evening.

In the first round, the RN and its allies garnered around 33% of the vote, the leftist New Popular Front got 28%, and Macron's centrist Ensemble bloc secured some 20%. While the RN is projected to become the dominant force in the National Assembly, it is expected to fall short of the 289 seats needed for a majority.

Le Pen has urged voters to give her RN an "absolute majority" in parliament to appoint Jordan Bardella as prime minister. This comes as centrist and leftist parties form an anti-RN coalition with over 200 candidates withdrawing to create a "republican front" against the far-right.

If the RN falls short of a majority, it could still double its 2022 seat count and dominate a hung parliament, potentially causing policy paralysis until Macron's presidency ends in 2027. This scenario could set the stage for Le Pen's expected fourth presidential bid.

The election is not meant to replace President Macron, whose second and final term lasts until 2027. However, he will need to select a prime minister from the party that secures a majority in the National Assembly. If the RN wins, Macron would be forced into a period of "cohabitation," dividing executive power between different political camps.

Why is France Holding a Snap Election?

French President Emmanuel Macron took a major political gamble by calling parliamentary elections three years ahead of time, following his party's defeat by the National Rally in the European Parliament elections. The current National Assembly has 169 lawmakers from Macron's Renaissance party, with the National Rally holding 88 seats as the largest opposition party.