Macron and Le Pen. (Photo: Victor Velter/Shutterstock)
With the first round of French parliamentary elections over, Marine Le Pen's National Rally is set to be competitive in every seat in the country outside Paris, according to an analysis by France 24.
The party did especially well in the northern rust belt and made gains in the southeast. According to France 24, its achievements in the rust belt came from shifting left on the economy while holding firm on immigration and crime.
National Rally already has 39 MPs elected outright, and with the second round of elections coming on July 7, the question of whether National Rally can capitalize on its recent gains remains open.