Elections in France: Turnout reaches 59.39% at 5 PM, 20% higher than 2022

Voting turnout in the snap French parliamentary elections is set to reach new heights today (Sunday), as 59.39% of eligible voters have voted by 5 PM, a number not seen since 1986, according to France 24.

According to French polling institute Ipsos Talan, the final turnout by the time the polls close is expected to reach 67.5%, the highest voting rate in the country since 1997.

Marine Le Pen's far right National Rally hopes to win an absolute majority in the lower house or National Assembly following a successful showing in the EU parliamentary elections.

President Macron had called the current snap elections due to his own party's poor showing during those same elections.

Elections for the French Parliament are conducted based on districts, with each representative choosing one out of 577 members of the National Assembly. The polls will close at 19:00 French Time, after which the first national samples will be made public.

However, the complete picture of the complement of the next parliament will only become clear after the second round of elections, which will take place in districts where no candidate received more than 50% of the vote on July 7.