France has been plunged into a new political reality, giving success for the far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party in the European Parliament elections on June 9, leading President Emmanuel Macron to declare a snap national election to take place in late June. Such win was expected, with polls that gave the RN around 35% of votes. With other gains for the right-wing parties in Germany and Italy, the impact of the Parliamentary election results will reach beyond the borders of France, unexpectedly changing Europe’s political landscape and reflecting the recent rise of right-wing parties in many European nations.

Macron addressed the French public after the heavy election loss, saying that he has “heard your message, your concerns and I will not leave them unanswered. France needs a clear majority to act in serenity and harmony.” His main competitor, the far-right leader and presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, announced at a rally that her party is “ready to take over power if the French give us their trust in the upcoming national elections.” Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission and member of the center-right European People’s Party, strengthened her position as a mediator who will “build a bastion against the extremes from the far left and far right.”

The Rassemblement National party is an anti-immigration party with the primary goal of keeping non-whites out of the country and discriminating against those already in the country, even if they emigrated legally or were born in France. Despite garnering a larger female vote than before, RN MPs are nonexistent in the fight for women’s rights, and homophobia is also par for the course. Voters seem to be turning to this racist party not necessarily because of similar views, but because of a general feeling of social decline (a weak job market and perceived loss of educational value) that they think the far-right will fix. To protest against the RN’s unprecedented success, 75,000 people took to the streets of Paris last week, mostly young people with the very very real fear of having their rights diminished in a country whose motto is “Liberty, Fraternity, and Equality.” 

Formerly known as National Front, RN was founded in 1972 by holocaust denier Jean-Marie Le Pen. Initially a fringe movement, the party gained attention and traction by capitalizing on nationalist, anti-immigration, and Eurosceptic sentiments. Under the leadership of his daughter Marine Le Pen, who took over in 2011, the party sought to rebrand itself and soften its image, resulting in broader electoral success. 28 year-old Jordan Bardella is now the next in line for party leadership. The RN’s rise mirrors the broader surge of far-right movements across Europe, driven mainly by economic anxieties, immigration concerns, and a dislike of the European Union. This trend reflects a growing anger with traditional republican political establishments and a shift towards more radical solutions to contemporary problems, which has been reflected in far-right gains across Europe for the last decade.

The unexpected success of the Rassemblement National in the European Parliament elections has undeniably reshaped France’s political scene. This political upheaval prompted President Macron to call for snap national elections, a move aimed at addressing the electorate’s concerns and restoring stability before he loses control of domestic policy decision making. As Europe grapples with this rise in far-right influence, the upcoming national elections in France will be pivotal in determining the future direction of the country’s leadership, as another RN victory would mean Macron’s certain defeat in the 2027 presidential elections. Should this be the case, the future of the entire European continent will be completely uncertain.