Decisive Parliamentary Election: France on the Brink of Historic Far-Right Government

French voters face a significant decision in Sunday's runoff parliamentary elections, potentially leading to the first far-right government since WWII or no clear majority. Marine Le Pen's National Rally may win a historic legislative majority, challenging President Macron's centrist alliance amid a complex voting system and tactical party maneuvers.

French voters face a decisive choice Sunday in the runoff of snap parliamentary elections that could produce the country's first far-right government since the World War II Nazi occupation—or no majority emerging at all.

Marine Le Pen's anti-immigration, nationalist party National Rally stands a chance of winning a legislative majority for the first time, but the outcome remains uncertain because of a complex voting system and tactical maneuvers by political parties.

What's happening Sunday? Voters across France and overseas territories can cast ballots for 501 of the 577 seats in the National Assembly, the lower and most important of France's two houses of parliament. The other 76 races were won outright in the first round of voting.

The National Rally and its allies arrived ahead in Round 1 with around one-third of the votes. A coalition of center-left, hard-left and greens parties called the New Popular Front came in second position, ahead of President Emmanuel Macron's struggling centrist alliance.

In the frantic week between the two rounds, hundreds of centrist and left-wing candidates pulled out of races to boost the chances of their moderate rivals and try to keep National Rally candidates from winning.

Final preelection polls suggest that tactic may have diminished the far right's chances of an absolute majority. But Le Pen's party has wider and deeper support than ever before, and it's up to voters to decide.

Polling projections suggest the National Rally is likely to have the most seats in the next National Assembly -- which would be a historic first.

If it wins an absolute majority of 289 seats, Macron would be expected to appoint National Rally president Jordan Bardella as France's new prime minister. Bardella could then form a government, and he and Macron would share power in a system called 'cohabitation.' If the party doesn't win a majority but still has a large number of seats, Macron could name Bardella anyway, though the National Rally might refuse out of fears that its government could be ejected in a no-confidence vote.

Or Macron could choose a prime minister from the center-left and seek to build a coalition with moderates.

If there's no party with a clear mandate to govern, Macron could name a government of experts unaffiliated with political parties. Such a government would likely deal mostly with day-to-day affairs of keeping France running.

The prime minister is accountable to the parliament, leads the government and introduces bills. The president is weakened at home during cohabitation, but still holds some powers over foreign policy, European affairs and defense and is in charge of negotiating and ratifying international treaties. The president is also the commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces, and holds the nuclear codes.

What about a hung parliament? While not uncommon in other European countries, modern France has never experienced a parliament with no dominant party.

Such a situation requires lawmakers to build consensus across parties to agree on government positions and legislation. France's fractious politics and deep divisions over taxes, immigration and Mideast policy make that especially challenging. That would likely derail Macron's promises to overhaul unemployment benefits or legalize life-ending procedures for the terminally ill, among other reforms. It could also make passing a budget more difficult.

Why is the far right rising? While France has one of the world's biggest economies and is an important diplomatic and military power, many French voters are struggling with inflation and low incomes and a sense that they are being left behind by globalization.

Le Pen's party, which blames immigration for many of France's problems, has tapped into that voter frustration and built wide online support and a grassroots network, notably in small towns and farming communities that see the Paris political class as out of touch.