European Parliament elections marked a significant shift in French politics with far-right parties making serious inroads.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for snap national elections after Renaissance party suffered a crushing defeat in European Parliament elections on June 10, 2024.
Last time a French president dissolved parliament was in 1997, leading to Socialists taking power under Lionel Jospin.
Macron announced dissolution of French lower house and parliamentary elections scheduled for June 30 and July 7.
Marine Le Pen's RN described as a stinging disavowal for Macron who has been ruling with relative majority.
Renaissance party secured 15.2% of the votes compared to National Rally's (RN) 31.5%.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for a snap national election after the European Parliament elections on June 10, 2024, which saw his Renaissance party suffer a crushing defeat to the far-right National Rally (RN) party led by Marine Le Pen. The RN secured 31.5% of the votes in comparison to Renaissance's 15.2%. Macron announced that he would dissolve the French lower house, the National Assembly, and hold parliamentary elections with the first round scheduled for June 30 and a second round on July 7.
The European Parliament elections marked a significant shift in French politics as voters largely backed centrist candidates but far-right parties made serious inroads. The RN's strong showing was described as a stinging disavowal for Macron, who has been ruling with a relative majority and invoking Article 49.3 of the French constitution several times to push legislation through parliament without a vote.
The last time a French president dissolved parliament was in 1997, which led to Jacques Chirac losing his majority and ushering the Socialists into power under Lionel Jospin. An Élysée source close to Macron described the predicted results as showing there is a 'republican majority' in France made up of those who don't agree with the far-right ideas.
The European Parliament elections also saw German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats suffer heavy losses, with Alternative for Germany finishing second. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's party won over 28% of the national votes for the EU assembly. The outcome has unsettled the bloc's mainstream establishment and seems likely to steel the far-right as a disruptive force.
Macron described the rise of nationalists and demagogues as a danger for France and Europe, adding that he could no longer proceed with business as usual after this election. The decision to call for snap elections is seen as an attempt to regain control of the political narrative in France.
France's President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the country's parliament, the National Assembly, and called a snap election after exit polls showed his Renaissance party was set to lose to the far-right National Rally (RN) party in European parliamentary elections.
The RN party secured 31.5% of the votes, more than double the share of Renaissance which obtained 15.2%.
Macron announced that he would dissolve the French lower house and hold parliamentary elections with the first round scheduled for June 30 and a second round on July 7.
Accuracy
No Contradictions at Time
Of
Publication
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(95%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Bias
(95%)
The authors do not demonstrate any clear bias in their reporting of the events. They provide a factual account of the French elections and Macron's response to his party's poor performance. However, they do include quotes from Jordan Bardella and Marine Le Pen that could be perceived as biased towards their respective political positions.
“This unprecedented defeat for the current government marks the end of a cycle, and Day 1 of the post-Macron era,” Bardella told a raucous audience at RN’s headquarters.
“We are ready to take power if the French place their trust in us,” said Le Pen, now the parliamentary leader of RN.
French President Emmanuel Macron called for a snap national election after the right-wing National Rally (RN) party, led by Marine Le Pen, won around 31% of the votes in Sunday’s European Parliament election.
Macron’s decision to call a snap parliamentary vote comes amidst France’s CAC 40 slumping 1.8% in the early hours of trading Monday morning, with French banks trading sharply lower, including BNP Paribas and Societe Generale.
The first round of voting for the snap election is scheduled for June 30, with a second to be held on July 7.
An Ipsos poll suggested that the RN could win between 243 and 305 seats, potentially giving them a majority in Parliament and allowing Le Pen to become prime minister with significant influence over France’s domestic and economic policy.
If the RN were to head the next government, they would have to approve either spending cuts or tax rises as part of the 2025 budget to reduce France’s large budget deficit, presenting a politically challenging situation for Le Pen.
Accuracy
Macron’s decision to call a snap parliamentary vote comes amidst France’s CAC 40 slumping 1.8% in the early hours of trading Monday morning.
Deception
(30%)
The article contains selective reporting as it only reports details that support the author's position of Macron's decision to call a snap election being a gamble. The article also uses emotional manipulation by implying fear and uncertainty through phrases like 'huge political gamble', 'seismic shift in France's government', and 'significant say over France’s domestic and economic policy'. The author also makes editorializing statements such as describing Macron's decision as the 'big story' of the European Parliament vote, implying that it is a negative event.
I have heard your message, your concerns and I will not leave them unanswered ... France needs a clear majority to act in serenity and harmony,
His gamble is to use the three years before the next presidential elections to show they did a really bad job and that somehow the voters will reward him,
This is an essential time for clarification,
Fallacies
(75%)
The article contains a few instances of inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority without providing evidence for the claims made. It also uses a dichotomous depiction by presenting Macron's decision as either a clever strategy or an act of arrogance, without considering other possible motivations. However, no formal fallacies were found.
Analysts are questioning whether Macron’s decision showed political nous and strategy, or will expose him to more accusations of arrogance and a lack of understanding of voter concerns over domestic issues like immigration, public services, the cost of living and employment.
French President Emmanuel Macron called snap national elections after Marine Le Pen’s National Rally performed well in polls.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democrats suffered heavy losses, with Alternative for Germany finishing second.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s party won over 28% of the national votes for the EU assembly.
Accuracy
French voters will return to polls in three weeks, with Le Pen estimated to get around 31%-32% of votes.
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(75%)
The article contains some inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority, but no formal logical fallacies. The author states facts without attribution as their own, which is not a fallacy but does not follow the rule of not considering statements made by anyone other than apnews.com.
The far right rocking ruling parties in France and Germany...
Voters in France will return to the polls in just three weeks...
Scholz’s ruling Social Democrats recorded their worst post-World War II result...
President Emmanuel Macron of France dissolved the lower house of Parliament and called for legislative elections beginning on June 30, 2024.
Macron's centrist party was projected to finish with less than half the support of Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally in the European Parliament elections.
Macron described the rise of nationalists and demagogues as a danger for France and Europe.
Partial results for the European Parliament elections showed voters largely backing centrist candidates, but far-right parties made serious inroads in France and Germany.
Accuracy
President Emmanuel Macron dissolved the lower house of Parliament and called for legislative elections beginning on June 30, 2024.
Macron's centrist party was projected to finish with less than half the support of Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally in the European Parliament elections.
Centrist political groups lost seats but were poised to maintain a majority of more than 400 seats in the 720-seat assembly.
The outcome of the European Parliament elections has unsettled the bloc’s mainstream establishment and seems likely to steel the far-right as a disruptive force.
Deception
(100%)
None Found At Time Of
Publication
Fallacies
(95%)
The author makes several statements that are factual and do not contain any fallacies. However, there is one instance of an appeal to authority when the author quotes Aurelien Breeden's analysis on why Macron made the decision to call for new elections. This does not affect the overall score significantly as it only makes up a small portion of the article.
“It’s a little hard to say definitively why Macron decided to make this move now,” he said. “But his domestic agenda has been hobbled by a weak majority in the lower house of Parliament for the past two years, and the strong far-right showing appears to have convinced him that he could no longer proceed with business as usual.”
