Turnout is higher at mid-day than in the previous first round of French legislative election two years ago.
Turnout at 12pm on Sunday in the first round stood of the legislative elections was 25.9 percent, according to interior ministry figures
In comparison, in the 2022 legislative elections at 12pm it was 18.43 percent – over 7 percent lower.
The higher turnout suggests that voters feel this election is more important to them than last time.
The election could put the French government in the hands of far-right parties for the first time since the Nazi era.
Three major political blocs are competing: the far-right National Rally, French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance and the New Popular Front coalition made up of centre-left, green and hard-left forces.
The two-round snap election is set to conclude on July 7 – with European financial markets, Western support for Ukraine and the French nuclear and military force all potentially being impacted by its results.
49.5 million registered voters will choose 577 members of the National Assembly, France’s lower house of Parliament.
Polling stations opened in mainland France at 8am on Sunday, with the first polling projections expected by 8pm. Official results are expected later Sunday night.
Voters in French overseas territories cast their ballots on Saturday.
President Macron called the snap election following the far-right National Rally’s success in European Parliament elections in June.
