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| France election: Macron party set for big parliamentary win | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The centrist party of French President Emmanuel Macron looks on course to win a landslide victory following the first round of parliamentary elections. | The centrist party of French President Emmanuel Macron looks on course to win a landslide victory following the first round of parliamentary elections. |
| As polls closed, projections showed La Republique en Marche (Republic on the Move) set to win more than 400 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly. | As polls closed, projections showed La Republique en Marche (Republic on the Move) set to win more than 400 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly. |
| Mr Macron's party was established just over a year ago and many candidates have little or no political experience. | Mr Macron's party was established just over a year ago and many candidates have little or no political experience. |
| The second round of the vote is held next Sunday. | The second round of the vote is held next Sunday. |
| Forecasts by two polling organisations gave LREM well over 30% of first round votes. | |
| But turnout was low, which analysts said reflected a sense of resignation among Mr Macron's opponents. | |
| Pollsters forecast the centre-right Republicans would win 20.9%; the far-right National Front 13.1%; and the Socialists with a grouping of left-wing parties 9%. | |
| Mr Macron, 39, needs a majority to push through the changes that he promised in his campaign. | |
| After the projections were announced, a government spokesman said voters had shown they wanted to move fast on major reforms. | |
| The two established parties - the Republicans and the Socialists - both failed to reach the presidential run-off last month for the first time in France's post-war history. | |
| The Socialists risk losing not only their current majority but also most of their seats. | |
| Those standing for LREM come from all walks of life and include students, retired citizens and a bullfighter. |