France election: left-wing alliance accuses ministry of manipulation

Created: 06/14/2022, 04:52

By: Helena Gries, Max Schäfer, Tanja Banner

In the French election, the Macron alliance and the left-wing alliance NUPES are neck and neck.

The left-wing alliance accuses the “Macronists” of manipulating the results.

• France election:

  The people of France will decide on a new parliament on June 12th and 19th, 2022.

• Close race:

  President Macron and the left-wing alliance NUPES are apparently neck and neck.

• How the first figures for the French election come about

• Majority in danger:

  The parliamentary elections in France will decide whether Emmanuel Macron will continue to have a majority in the National Assembly.

• Claims from the left:

  Jean-Luc Mélenchon wants to become prime minister with the help of the left-wing alliance NUPES.

• This news ticker for the French elections is updated by the editors.

+++7.30 p.m .:

What recommendations do the losing candidates of the Macron camp make in a head-to-head race between members of Marine Le Pen’s RN and Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s NUPES?

In any case, there does not yet seem to be overall agreement on this issue.

But the fact is: In some constituencies in the second round of the French elections this Sunday (June 19), there will be a duel between representatives of the right-wing party and politicians of the left-wing alliance.

France Info reports that Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne has called for "no votes for the Front National".

However, she also added: "If we're dealing with a candidate who doesn't respect republican values, who insults our police officers, who calls for us to stop supporting Ukraine, or who wants to leave Europe, then we don't call for it to vote for him" - in any case not an unreserved recommendation for NUPES.

France election: Macron camp still hesitant about election recommendations

Stanislas Guerini, France's Minister for Public Service, was more specific.

After the eliminated ensemble candidate in the Hénin-Beaumont constituency (Pas-de-Calais) made it clear that she wanted to vote “white” in the second ballot, Guerini called on Twitter to vote for the NUPES candidate: “Let’s be whole clear: no vote for the RN (...) I call for voting for Marine Tondelier in the second ballot."

+++ 4.45 p.m .:

The left-wing alliance NUPES accuses the Ministry of the Interior of manipulation in the presentation of the results of the parliamentary elections in France.

NUPES received votes that were incorrectly listed under "various leftists," according to a statement from Mélenchon's La France Insoumise party on Monday (June 13).

This artificially gave the impression that President Emmanuel Macron's alliance was at the forefront.

Specifically, candidates supported by NUPES in the overseas territories were not counted as part of the alliance.

Formally, these also belong to other parties.

According to the broadcaster France Info, NUPES politician Manuel Mompard argued that the candidates would have their seats in parliament in the left-wing alliance.

Even on the mainland, votes for candidates were not counted for the alliance.

According to reports, these are politicians who previously distanced themselves from NUPES.

France election: left-wing alliance speaks of manipulation and declares itself the winner

When presenting the results of the parliamentary elections, the Ministry of the Interior referred to an official list presented by the left-wing alliance.

According to reports, candidates from Corsica and the overseas territories were not represented.

Three candidates who had distanced themselves were also counted as "various leftists".

According to the ministry, however, individual candidates close to the middle camp also ended up elsewhere in the presentation of the results.

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Jean-Luc Mélenchon's left-wing alliance NUPES accuses the Interior Ministry of manipulating the presentation of the results of the French elections.

(Archive image) © Stephanie de Sakutin/AFP

NUPES therefore declared itself the winner of the first round of the French elections.

With 26.83 percent they are in the lead, the left-wing alliance said on Twitter.

The newspaper Le Monde, which also made its own allocation of the candidates, awarded NUPES 26.11 percent against the 25.88 percent of the Macron camp.

France election: The result of the parliamentary election at a glance

France election: A close result means a loss of image for Macron – according to political scientists

+++ 2.30 p.m .:

Only a few voices separate the alliance of Emmanuel Macron and the left-wing alliance NUPES.

The French president's image is also suffering due to the narrow result of the French elections.

Political scientist Bruno Cautrès is convinced of this.

"The Coalition Ensemble!

loses the image of a machine that can win everything,” the expert from the Institut d'études politiques de Paris told Le Parisien newspaper on Monday (June 13).

"It's been a long time since we had such a competitive general election and not just an offshoot of the presidential election," Cautrès said.

The political scientist expects a polarized and competitive election campaign until the second round of the French elections on Sunday (June 19).

It is about mobilizing two groups of voters: “On the one hand, those who want to bring Emmanuel Macron down the most, and on the other hand, those who want to give him a majority and block the way for Nupes.”

France election: Republicans could win parliamentary election for Macron alliance

+++ 10:00 a.m .:

After the first round of the French election, Emmanuel Macron’s alliance ensemble is just ahead of the left-wing alliance led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

In the second round of the general election, however, the Liberal candidates will benefit from the “winner-takes-all” principle of the electoral system.

Poorly placed candidates make recommendations for candidates who are closer to them.

Voters are also reorienting themselves.

“Here Macron's centrist positioning pays off.

Also, the limited broader support for both NUPES and the Rassemblement National will prove costly," France expert Jim Shields told news portal France24.

The conservative Republicans will play a decisive role in this.

Although party leader Christian Jacob did not give a clear recommendation for Ensemble, he spoke out clearly against the left-wing alliance and right-wing extremists.

In addition, conservative former President Nicolas Sarkozy supported Macron in the second round of the presidential election.

Observers therefore also consider a coalition to be possible if the Macron alliance fails to achieve an absolute majority in the parliamentary elections.

France election: Macron camp only a hair's breadth ahead of the left alliance

Update from Monday, June 13, 6:30 a.m .:

French President Emmanuel Macron has to fear for the absolute majority of his Ensemble Alliance after the first round of the parliamentary elections.

According to official information from Monday night (June 13), Macron's party and its allies received 25.75 percent of the votes.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon's left-green alliance Nupes was almost the same, receiving only 21,442 fewer votes.

French first-past-the-post system favors the strongest electoral alliance when it comes to the distribution of seats.

289 seats are needed for an absolute majority in the parliament, which has a total of 577 members.

"We are the only political force that can achieve a majority in the National Assembly," said Macron's Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne.

With a view to the runoff election next Sunday, she called for a “week of mobilization”.

The goal is to "get a strong and clear majority," she emphasized.

The exact allocation of seats will only be decided in the runoff next Sunday (June 19).

+++ 10:25 p.m .:

Christian Jacob, leader of the French Conservatives, sees his party as an important political force for the coming years – even though they suffered losses in the first round of the French elections.

"You can see that we are able to play a decisive role in this legislature between the voice of the extremes and the deadlock led by the majority of President Macron," said Jacob.

The Republicans are currently the strongest opposition force in the National Assembly with 92 seats.

Together with their allies, they could get between 40 and 80 seats after the French elections.

France election in the live ticker: Mélenchon sees a clear defeat for Macron

+++ 9.46 p.m .:

France’s Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne after the first round of the French election: “We are the

only political force able to get a majority in the National Assembly”.

The prime minister also indirectly warned of a further strengthening of the left.

"We cannot take the risk of instability." You and the Central Alliance, on the other hand, stand for coherence and would leave no stone unturned in the fight against extremes.

+++ 9:08 p.m .:

The leader of the left-wing party alliance in France, Jean-Lu Mélenchon, sees the result of the first round of the parliamentary election as a clear defeat for his opponent and France’s head of state Emmanuel Macron.

"The truth is that the presidential party was beaten and defeated in the first round," Mélenchon said in Paris on Sunday evening.

"In light of this result and the extraordinary opportunity it represents for our personal lives and the future of our common homeland, I call on our people to stream out next Sunday, of course definitively rejecting the fateful plans of the majority of Mr. Macron."

France election live: Marine Le Pen sees the result as a "huge victory"

+++ 8:52 p.m .:

In the France election, everyone looks at the Macron alliance and the left-wing alliance NUPES.

But there are other parties that stood for election.

The right-wing nationalist Marine Le Pen is satisfied with the performance of her Rassemblement national party in the first round of the parliamentary elections and describes the first result as an "immense victory".

It is important "that Emmanuel Macron does not have an absolute majority, which he will abuse to use his self-centered and brutal methods," said Le Pen after the announcement of the first election results.

"The second round gives us an opportunity to send a very large group of patriotic MPs to the National Assembly."

According to the projections, Marine Le Pen's party won a strong 18.9 to 19.2 percent.

According to forecasts, however, she can only hope for 10 to 45 of the 577 seats in the French National Assembly.

15 seats are needed to be represented as a parliamentary group in Parliament.

France election in the live ticker: left-wing alliance NUPES with great success

8.40 p.m .:

The left-wing alliance NUPES, consisting of leftists, communists, greens and socialists and led by old leftist Jean-Luc Mélenchon, achieved spectacular success in the French elections.

But the complicated French electoral system is likely to be the alliance's undoing.

In the end, only the votes for the winner in the respective constituency count - which sometimes leads to serious differences between the percentage of votes and the distribution of seats.

Seats are allocated by direct election, usually in two rounds.

The prerequisites for even making it into the second round - the runoff - are tough.

Institutes see Macron's alliance as better placed to intercept votes from candidates eliminated in the first round of the French election.

France election in the live ticker: Forecasts see the Macron alliance in front

+++ 8.31 p.m .:

According to Le Monde, forecasts for the distribution of seats see Macron’s alliance in the second round of the parliamentary elections with 225 to 310 seats, the new left-wing alliance NUPES should have 150 to 220 seats.

Macron would need at least 289 out of 577 seats in the National Assembly to have a majority in his new term.

Whether it will be enough for at least 289 seats is still open.

The second round of parliamentary elections in France will take place next Sunday (June 19).

+++ 8:22 p.m .:

According to Le Monde, the turnout in the France election was only 47.2 percent.

+++ 8:16 p.m .:

Even if Macron’s party is in a head-to-head race with the left-wing alliance NUPES, the party and its allies will still get the most seats in the National Assembly because of the majority voting system in France.

According to estimates by opinion institutes, however, it is unclear whether they will also receive the absolute majority of 289 seats.

France election live: Macron supporters and left-wing alliance NUPES on par

+++ 8:11 p.m .:

The first results of the left-wing alliance NUPES, the Macron supporters Ensemble and the right-wing party Rassemblement national at a glance:

+++ 8 p.m .:

The last polling stations in the France election are closed, the first numbers are there.

According to this, Emmanuel Macron's party and the left-wing alliance NUPES are on par.

According to initial projections, both come to 25.2 percent in the first round of the election.

France election live: close the polling stations, then there will be the first results

+++ 7.45 p.m .:

The last polling stations in France will close in 15 minutes, then there will be the first exit polls.

How these are determined is explained below in the ticker.

The final election results for France's first election to the National Assembly will not be available until late at night - possibly early on Monday morning.

+++ 19.30 p.m .:

Opinion research institutes in France estimate that the turnout in the first round of the parliamentary elections will be between 52.5 and 53 percent.

A particularly high non-voter rate is predicted for young voters and poorer people.

At 5 p.m., three hours before the 70,000 polling stations in France closed, turnout was 39.42 percent.

France election live: This is how the first results are calculated

+++ 6.50 p.m .:

In the first round of the France election, the last polling stations close at 8 p.m., then the exit polls are also published.

In the course of the evening, the votes will be counted and gradually published by the Ministry of the Interior.

But even with a low turnout, it can take a long time before an official result is known - according to the French daily Le Monde, this process can drag on until Sunday afternoon or early Monday morning.

+++ 6.14 p.m .:

In the first round of the parliamentary elections in France, about two out of five registered voters cast their votes by 5 p.m.

As announced by the Interior Ministry in Paris, the turnout on Sunday up to 5 p.m. was 39.42 percent.

In the previous election to the National Assembly in 2017, it was slightly higher at the same time with 40.75 percent.

France election live: the last polling stations close at 8 p.m

+++ 5:50 p.m .:

The last polling stations close at 8 p.m. in the France election.

This is when the so-called exit polls are published.

How this first impression of the election result comes about: Polling companies produce estimates based on the results of a certain number of polling stations.

Polling stations are selected to be representative of the French vote.

For the statistical model, geographical aspects such as rural towns, small or large towns as well as political points are taken into account, whether it is about left-wing or right-wing polling stations.

Pollsters are present at model polling stations and take part in the count.

After the first 200 ballot papers have been counted, in addition to information on turnout after the polling station has closed to estimate turnout, they also transmit a partial result with the number of points achieved for each candidate.

They also report all results once all ballots have been counted.

Finally, this feedback is analyzed and an estimated final score is calculated.

France election live: first seat forecasts "to be treated with great caution"

The French daily newspaper "Le Monde" interviewed various pollsters on this topic.

Everyone agrees that the seat forecasts broadcast on the evening of the first round have their limits and describe the first forecasts as “very, very shaky”, “dangerous” and “to be treated with great caution”.

Jérôme Fourquet, the director of the opinion department at the French opinion and market research institute "Institut français d'opinion publique" (IFOP), admits that despite limited reliability, "there is enormous media and political pressure to create seat forecasts".

France election: Close race between Macron and left-wing alliance NUPES

+++ 2:19 p.m .:

According to initial information, there is a close race between President Macron’s government alliance and the left-green alliance Nupes.

The latter alliance is led by

Left-wing populist Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

Should Macron lose the absolute majority, the president would lose a lot of influence to Nupes and Mélenchon.

Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte have also cast their votes in the parliamentary elections in France.

+++ 12.46 p.m .:

With a turnout of 18.43 percent on Sunday afternoon, the first round of voting in the French parliamentary elections indicates that the predicted historically low number of voters will arrive.

This was announced shortly after 12 noon by the French newspaper Le Monde.

According to the newspaper, turnout at midday in 2017 was slightly higher, at 19.24 percent.

Nevertheless, at the end of the day, less than half of those eligible to vote had cast their votes for the first time, at 48.7 percent.

Update from Sunday, June 12, 8:13 a.m .:

The parliamentary elections in France started at 8 a.m. today.

The 577 deputies of the French National Assembly are to be elected.

The polling stations are open until 6 p.m., in some big cities even until 8 p.m.

A historically low voter turnout is expected.

France election live: Melonchon makes claims, Macron has to tremble

+++ 7.50 p.m .:

French people are called for parliamentary elections on Sunday (June 12).

According to surveys, the current government majority is ahead in the distribution of seats, but could lose the absolute majority.

The left-green voter alliance NUPES, led by left-wing populist Jean-Luc Mélenchon, is likely to form the strongest opposition faction.

It also includes the Socialists, the Greens and the Communists.

Mélenchon has put himself forward as prime minister.

The right-wing populist party RN could form its own parliamentary group for the first time with at least 15 MPs.

Their predecessor party FN was last able to do this in 1986.

The turnout is historically low.

In the 2017 general election, less than half of those entitled to vote cast their votes for the first time.

France election: Parliamentary elections in overseas territories already started

Update from Saturday, June 11, 1:47 p.m .:

The parliamentary elections in France have officially started – albeit initially only in three polling stations.

On the small French archipelago of Saint-Pierre and Miquelon off the east coast of Canada, the first polling stations opened on Saturday afternoon (8 a.m. local time), as a spokeswoman for the town hall in Saint-Pierre confirmed to the German Press Agency (dpa).

Because of the time difference, some overseas territories will already be voting on the parliamentary elections in France on Saturday.

The majority of French people can vote on Sunday (June 12).

The second round of the parliamentary elections will then take place on Sunday (June 19).

France election: A high level of abstention is expected

Update from Saturday, June 11, 9:16 a.m .:

A high level of abstention is expected in the parliamentary elections in France.

According to the French daily Le Figaro, this could be to the advantage of President Macron.

The abstention is a sign of anger and results from campaign promises not being kept.

"With the introduction of the five-year period and the holding of the parliamentary elections after the presidential elections, they have lost their uniqueness and even their interest."

Especially in the working class and among young voters, abstention is “strong”.

“It is an advantage for Emmanuel Macron.

Even if his victory would be more tactical than political,” explains Le Figaro.

Voter turnout in the French parliamentary elections in 2017 was at a historically low level of 48.7 percent in the first round and 42.6 percent in the second round.

France election: Macron's government alliance fears for an absolute majority

Update from Friday, June 10, 7:32 p.m .:

Shortly before the parliamentary elections in France, the government alliance has to fear for its absolute majority.

According to a survey published on Friday, the party of current President Emmanuel Macron and his allies are roughly on a par with the left-wing electoral alliance NUPES of left-wing populist Jean-Luc Mélenchon with around 27 percent.

The government alliance would therefore only have 280 to 320 seats.

289 seats are needed for an absolute majority.

Before the first round of the parliamentary elections on Sunday (June 12), the election campaign ends on Friday at midnight.

The French were only moderately interested in this.

A historically low voter turnout is expected.

According to surveys, only 46 percent of those entitled to vote could cast their votes in the parliamentary elections.

The first results will be published on election Sunday from 8 p.m.

A run-off election will be held on June 19 in all constituencies where none of the candidates has achieved an absolute majority.

France election: Macron under pressure ahead of parliamentary elections

Erstmeldung vom Mittwoch, 8. Juni: Paris – Kurz nach der Präsidentschaftswahl in Frankreich 2022 dürfen die Französinnen und Franzosen erneut abstimmen: Bei der nächsten Frankreich-Wahl am 12. und 19. Juni geht es um die Zusammensetzung des französischen Parlaments, genauer der Nationalversammlung.

Für den Ende April im Amt bestätigten Präsidenten Emmanuel Macron ist die Wahl entscheidend: Hier klärt sich, ob der liberale Politiker seine Reformpläne durchsetzen kann – oder sich einer ihm oppositionell gegenüberstehenden Parlamentsmehrheit konfrontiert sieht.

Frankreich-Wahl: Macron-Partei vor der Parlamentswahl unter Druck

Sollte Macrons Partei, die künftig „Renaissance“ heißen soll und bei der Abstimmung im Bündnis „Ensemble!“ antritt, die Parlamentswahl verlieren, wird auch die Handlungsmacht des Präsidenten eingeschränkt: Nicht nur das Parlament als Ort der Gesetzgebung steht Macron in diesem Szenario gegenüber, sondern auch die Regierung. Diese bestimmt laut Verfassung die Politik Frankreichs.

Normalerweise gewinnt die Partei des kurz zuvor gewählten Präsidenten auch die Parlamentswahl in Frankreich. Das starke Abschneiden Marine Le Pens bei der Präsidentschaftswahl, die Kritik an Macron, der unter anderem als „Präsident der Reichen“ geschimpft wird, sowie Umfragen erzeugen bei Beobachtenden jedoch Zweifel, ob das auch 2022 der Fall sein wird.

Parlamentswahl in Frankreich: Linke schließt Bündnis NUPES und will Mélenchon zum Premier machen

Bei der Frankreich-Wahl können Macron jedoch nicht nur der Rassemblement National gefährlich werden, sondern vor allem die Linke Frankreichs. Von Jean-Luc Mélenchon als „Ökologische und soziale Volksunion“ (NUPES) vereint liegen sie gleichauf mit Macrons Unterstützenden.

Laut einer Umfrage des Meinungsforschungsinstituts Ifop führt das Linksbündnis mit 26 Prozent vor „Ensemble!“ mit 25 Prozent. Auch bei Wahlkreisprognosen rückt NUPES immer weiter an Macrons Verbündete heran, so dass deren Parlamentsmehrheit immer unsicherer wird.

Frankreich-Wahl: Geplante Rentenreform Kritikpunkt im Wahlkampf

Nicht ohne Grund geht Macron vor der Frankreich-Wahl auf Sozialdemokraten und Grüne zu. Im Wahlkampf machte er inhaltliche und personelle Zugeständnisse. So ernannte der Macron Elisabeth Borne zur Premierministerin. Sie sei eine Politikerin der Linken, die sich sozial engagiere, hieß es zur Ernennung aus dem Élysée-Palast. Borne war außerdem Umweltministerin. Ob sich Frankreichs Grüne davon überzeugen lassen, ist jedoch fraglich. Insbesondere, da das während ihrer Amtszeit beschlossene Klimagesetz hinter den Erwartungen zurückblieb.

Parlamentswahl in Frankreich: Macron-Partei droht Verlust der Mehrheit

Emmanuel Macron's alliance will therefore lose in the 2022 general election in France compared to 2017, when Macron's La République en Marche party alone had an absolute majority in the National Assembly with 308 MPs.

As an alliance, the left-wing parties are gaining seats according to the latest polls.

Ultimately, the results of the first round of France's elections on Sunday (June 12) remain to be seen when forecasts and projections are released.

However, the decision on future majorities will not be made until June 19 due to majority rules.

(ms/jo/hg with dpa/afp)