Macron's Party Wins Absolute Majority in French Parliament
Early polling from second round of election shows president’s Republic of the Move winning between 355 and 425 of 577 seats in National Assembly
French President Emmanuel Macron's party and its allies will have a strong majority parliament after winning 60 percent of seats in Sunday's second and final round of elections. Macron's centrist Republic on the Move took 308 seats, while ally Modem won 42 spots in the 577-seat National Assembly. The margin will enable Macron to push through his promised reforms of France's strict labor laws and its ailing social security system. Centrist gains came at the expense of the traditional left and right parties that have led the National Assembly for decades. The far-right National Front party of Macron's rival in the elections, Marine Le Pen, took just eight seats, including one for Le Pen herself. She had predicted a rousing victory for the National Front, but the party will now be left virtually silent with so few seats. The Socialist Party of former President Francois Hollande won 29 seats. The Republicans will be the lead opposition party after taking 131 seats. Macron has been in office a little more than a month but has already made his mark on the international stage. He beat U.S. President Donald Trump at his own handshake game; Macron criticized Russia’s Vladimir Putin while standing beside him; and jumped in with new proposals after the U.S. announced a u-turn on climate change. That has had an effect at home. After five years of Socialist Party rule, in which former President Francois Hollande failed to meet his objectives of reducing unemployment and giving a boost to the flagging economy, the French were depressed and downbeat. Seeing the new president widely acclaimed and admired on the international stage has made voters at home sit up and take note – and decide to give him a chance. Prime Minister Edouard Philippe has said Macron “has embodied trust, willingness and audacity.”