In a surprising turn of events, Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN) party emerged as the frontrunner in the first round of France's parliamentary elections. Initial projections showed the RN bloc securing 34% of the vote, bringing them closer to power than ever before, while the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) coalition came second with 28.1%. President Emmanuel Macron's Ensemble alliance suffered a significant setback, finishing in a disappointing third place with 20.3%.

The high voter turnout in the election was an unexpected development, with the RN bloc managing to secure the most votes. However, projections indicate that they may fall short of the 289 seats required for an absolute majority in the 577-seat National Assembly. This suggests that France could be heading towards a hung parliament and further political uncertainty.

Projections for the second round of voting, scheduled for next Sunday, indicate that the RN is likely to win between 230 and 280 seats in the lower house, a substantial increase from their previous count of 88. The NFP is projected to secure between 125 and 165 seats, with Macron's Ensemble trailing behind with between 70 and 100 seats.

The parliamentary elections were called by President Macron in response to the RN's victory in the European Parliament elections earlier this month. The possibility of having to form a technocratic government with a prime minister from an opposition party looms large for Macron, as he might need to seek alternative alliances to govern effectively.

The initial results prompted jubilant celebrations at the RN election party, but Marine Le Pen was quick to emphasize the significance of the upcoming second round. She acknowledged that while the democratic process had placed the RN in the lead, there was still much at stake.

Jordan Bardella, the 28-year-old leader of the RN, echoed Le Pen's sentiments, underlining the crucial nature of the next round of voting. Bardella stated that this election would be one of the most decisive in French history, hinting at the possibility of refusing to govern with a minority government.

A week of political bargaining is expected as centrist and left-wing parties consider strategic voting to block the nationalist and anti-immigrant RN from securing a majority. This strategy, known as the "cordon sanitaire," has been utilized in the past to prevent the RN, formerly known as the National Front, from holding power.

The NFP, a left-wing coalition formed earlier this month, has vowed to withdraw its candidates who placed third in the first round, in an effort to deny the RN additional seats. Political figures such as Jean-Luc Melenchon of France Unbowed and Marine Tondelier of the Green Party have called on Macron and his supporters to stand down in certain seats to prevent the far right from gaining a majority.

Macron's allies, while also urging their supporters to prevent the far right from taking office, have expressed concerns about aligning with Melenchon's France Unbowed party due to fundamental differences in principles.

The outcome of the second round remains uncertain, as the RN's rise in popularity has been witnessed even in traditionally left-leaning areas. The prospect of a far-right government raises both financial and constitutional concerns, as the RN's spending pledges clash with the need for austerity measures to comply with the European Commission's fiscal rules.

With the stakes high, Macron called for a broad, democratic, and Republican rally for the second round, emphasizing the need to clarify the political situation. The stage is set for a significant political challenge as France prepares for the decisive round of the parliamentary elections.