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High-stakes French legislative election hits torrid final stretch before first-round voting begins
![Thomas Padilla FILE - Leader of the French far-right National Rally Marine Le Pen, left and lead candidate of the party for the upcoming European election Jordan Bardella during a political meeting on June 2, 2024 in Paris. France's far-right leader has contradicted the country's constitution when she raised the question of who would be in charge of the military if her hostile National Rally takes over the government after the election. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/28b7e7c1a2444eea99f626f32fc53545/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
FILE - Leader of the French far-right National Rally Marine Le Pen, left and lead candidate of the party for the upcoming European election Jordan Bardella during a political meeting on June 2, 2024 in Paris. France's far-right leader has contradicted the country's constitution when she raised the question of who would be in charge of the military if her hostile National Rally takes over the government after the election. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla, File)
![Jean-Francois Badias Followers of the leftist coalition Nouveau Front Populaire (New Popular Front) glue campaign posters for the upcoming legislative election, Wednesday, June 26, 2024 in Strasbourg, eastern France. French President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections following the defeat of his centrist alliance at European Union elections earlier this month. Voters will choose lawmakers for the National Assembly in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/2471f7fc113c4a96b6d0fe37d8b3482e/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
Followers of the leftist coalition Nouveau Front Populaire (New Popular Front) glue campaign posters for the upcoming legislative election, Wednesday, June 26, 2024 in Strasbourg, eastern France. French President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections following the defeat of his centrist alliance at European Union elections earlier this month. Voters will choose lawmakers for the National Assembly in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
![Christophe Ena FILE - French President Emmanuel Macron attends a ceremony at the Croix du Souvenir monument, Tuesday, June 18, 2024 on the Île de Sein, Brittany. Emmanuel Macron once appeared as a bold, young leader offering to revive France through radical pro-business, pro-European policies so that voters have "no reason anymore" to vote for the extremes. Seven years after he was first elected, his call for snap elections weakens him at home and abroad, while it appears to propel the far right on the verge of power. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/1203c4581b91497d912ec00b355c5747/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
FILE - French President Emmanuel Macron attends a ceremony at the Croix du Souvenir monument, Tuesday, June 18, 2024 on the Île de Sein, Brittany. Emmanuel Macron once appeared as a bold, young leader offering to revive France through radical pro-business, pro-European policies so that voters have "no reason anymore" to vote for the extremes. Seven years after he was first elected, his call for snap elections weakens him at home and abroad, while it appears to propel the far right on the verge of power. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena, Pool, File)
![Christophe Ena A woman walks past campaign boards for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Paris, Thursday June 27, 2024. Voters will choose lawmakers for the National Assembly in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/2840ec24aba34b9295344f2abc9ef99e/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
A woman walks past campaign boards for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Paris, Thursday June 27, 2024. Voters will choose lawmakers for the National Assembly in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
![Christophe Ena People gather on the Republique Plaza during a rally in Paris, Thursday June 27, 2024. Anti-racism groups joined French unions and left-wing coalition in protests against the surging nationalist far right as French President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections following the defeat of his centrist alliance at European Union elections earlier this month. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/0cf74a8d1c4543efbc7cb00b244bb752/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
People gather on the Republique Plaza during a rally in Paris, Thursday June 27, 2024. Anti-racism groups joined French unions and left-wing coalition in protests against the surging nationalist far right as French President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections following the defeat of his centrist alliance at European Union elections earlier this month. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
![Jean-Francois Badias Followers of the leftist coalition Nouveau Front Populaire (New Popular Front) glue campaign posters for the upcoming legislative election, Wednesday, June 26, 2024 in Strasbourg, eastern France. French President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections following the defeat of his centrist alliance at European Union elections earlier this month. Voters will choose lawmakers for the National Assembly in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/bd38229c0ba7419ab359a528cc74bb25/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
Followers of the leftist coalition Nouveau Front Populaire (New Popular Front) glue campaign posters for the upcoming legislative election, Wednesday, June 26, 2024 in Strasbourg, eastern France. French President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections following the defeat of his centrist alliance at European Union elections earlier this month. Voters will choose lawmakers for the National Assembly in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)
![Christophe Ena A woman walks past campaign boards for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Paris, Thursday June 27, 2024. Voters will choose lawmakers for the National Assembly in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/6c1ed86d126e4b5ebab3b17682342e85/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
A woman walks past campaign boards for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Paris, Thursday June 27, 2024. Voters will choose lawmakers for the National Assembly in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
![Christophe Ena A man looks at campaign boards for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Paris, Thursday June 27, 2024. Voters will choose lawmakers for the National Assembly in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/94c272e8453b4f63ad729d04dce5350f/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
A man looks at campaign boards for the upcoming parliamentary elections in Paris, Thursday June 27, 2024. Voters will choose lawmakers for the National Assembly in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
![Jean-Francois Badias A car drives past electoral posters, Thursday, June 27, 2024 in Strasbourg, eastern France. French President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections following the defeat of his centrist alliance at European Union elections earlier this month. Voters will choose lawmakers for the National Assembly in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/f81de19260334a4ca0d0296262973412/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x&wm=false)
A car drives past electoral posters, Thursday, June 27, 2024 in Strasbourg, eastern France. French President Emmanuel Macron called snap elections following the defeat of his centrist alliance at European Union elections earlier this month. Voters will choose lawmakers for the National Assembly in two rounds on June 30 and July 7. (AP Photo/Jean-Francois Badias)