Exit polls on Sunday showed that France's far-right National Rally Party wasn't on track to win any regions in the second round of voting in France's regional elections.
Early surveys suggested that incumbents would likely keep their seats as the right won 38% of votes nationwide and left parties won 34.5% amid record low turnout.
President Emmanuel Macron's La Republique en Marche Party won just 7% of the vote in a race to renew 13 metropolitan councils, while the National Rally, led by former far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, earned 20%.
PARIS - France was voting in the second round of regional elections on Sunday after a first round that saw a drubbing for President Emmanuel Macron's ruling party, disappointment for Marine Le Pen's far-right and record low turnout. #BangkokPost #World https://t.co/GtxnIMBsPy
— Bangkok Post (@BangkokPostNews) June 27, 2021
The National Rally party also appeared to poised to fail to secure a single region as its candidate in the Marseille region, who was projected to have the best chance at victory, appeared on track to fall to the conservative incumbent.
Macron's party was also on track to end the election without winning any regions, coming after failing to secure any major cities in last year's municipal elections.
Turnout for the second round was estimated at about 34.5% on Sunday after a record low of 33% during the first round last week.
Last year's municipal elections, which were held shortly after France lifted its first COVID-19 restrictions, had a turnout of about 41%.
The Greens around Europe are proud to support @julienbayou and the Green-Left alliance in the second round of the Ile-de-France regional election ? to put social justice, democracy and the fight against climate change at the center of politics in the region. https://t.co/xPJSm7XX5W
— European Greens (@europeangreens) June 25, 2021
Pierre Moscovici, a former left-wing economic minister and president of the Court of Auditors, described the low turnout as a "democratic crisis" and that it was a result of "electoral apathy."
This article has been adapted from its original source
