Macron, Le Pen: A guide to France’s high stakes election

As France's National Rally is poised to gain the most votes in the parliamentary election, the stakes are high for centrist President Emmanuel Macron's liberal reforms. This guide outlines how Marine Le Pen's anti-immigrant party challenges France's unique political system. In France's semi-presidential system, the June 30 vote determines the National Assembly's makeup. Without a clear majority, the second round on July 7 may lead to coalition-building, impacting Macron's presidency and the future political landscape.

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By Thomas Pfeiffer

With France's far-right National Rally expected to secure the most votes in a parliamentary election on Sunday, there's a lot more at stake than the liberal, pro-business reform agenda of centrist President Emmanuel Macron. Here's a guide to the election, showing how the rise of the anti-immigrant party led by Marine Le Pen is putting France's unique political system under strain. 

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