Macron s party crashes in first round of French regional elections
French President Emmanuel Macron s ruling La Republique En Marche (LREM) party failed to achieve success in the first round of regional elections held on Sunday.
An estimated 66.1% of voters shunned polling stations_ which was regarded as unprecedented. The abstention rate was 50.09% in 2015 and 53.67% in 2010.
According to the exit polls_ LREM's candidates did not lead the first round in any region of the country.
A total of 15 ministers competed for LREM in the elections_ but none of them could garner the number of votes needed to finish the first round ahead.
Exit polls showed the center-right Les Republicains party winning 28.7% of the national vote ahead of the far-right National Rally party with 19.4%_ followed by the Socialist Party_ the Green party and Macron's LREM with 10.4%.
The elections were initially slated for March but were delayed twice -- first by three months and then by another week -- due to an exponential rise in coronavirus cases.
Held every six years_ they will take place in 18 regional presidencies -- 13 in metropolitan France and Corsica and five in the overseas territories of Guadeloupe_ Martinique_ Guyana_ Mayotte and Reunion -- and will elect 1_800 councilors.
Voting will take place in two stages -- the first round on June 20 and the second on June 26 -- to elect the councilors who in turn will elect the president of the Regional Council_ president of the Departmental Council and mayors.
The regional polls are taking place a year ahead of presidential elections and are considered a precursor as to who will take control of the Elysee in 2022. Polls have predicted a face-off next year between incumbent President Macron and far-right opposition leader Marine Le Pen.
Macron and Le Pen have hit the campaign trail alongside other leaders from the Socialist_ centrist_ far-left and ecological parties.
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