Protests erupt in Paris after far-right party wins first round of elections
Protests have escalated across Paris after the far-right party National Rally snatched a win in the first round of the French snap election.
Thousands of protesters took to the streets in the capital and across other major cities in France after the news that Marine Le Pen’s far-right party had won in the first round of the election.
Latest exit polls showed Le Pen’s National Rally taking around 34% of the vote.
Following second is the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) with around 29%, while the incumbent President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Ensemble alliance won about 20.5%.
The result comes as a shock for Macron, who called the snap election in response to National Rally beating the centrists in the European Parliament elections.
The winning result means National Rally may become the party to form the next French government.
Footage from Paris shows thousands of people stage protests in opposition to the right-wing win, with some protests reportedly turning into riots.
Pictures show demonstrators climb on the ‘Monument of the Republic’ on the historic Place de la Republique.
A barricade and bins were set on fire, flares were set off and shop windows were smashed.
Riot police responded by firing teargas against protesters on the streets.
Emotions were said to run high in the capital, with one anti-far right campaigner telling Euronews she felt ‘dejected’ and like ‘crying.’
Jeroen Atputharajah, a 21-year-old activist and former local LFI candidate in the suburbs of the capital told the outlet: ‘My feeling is that I’m scared by what could happen in one week [but]…my state of mind is that of a fight. I am combative. We still have one week to catch up and it’s not impossible.’
All eyes will be on the second round of the elections held on July 7.
The City of Light is set to host the 2024 summer Olympics in less than a month.
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