President of France Dissolves Parliament and Announces Early Elections on 30 June

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced the dissolution of the country's parliament, the National Assembly, and the scheduling of the first round of early parliamentary elections for 30 June. The corresponding decree will be signed shortly, Macron stated in a televised address to the nation, according to Ukrinform.

This announcement came immediately after the conclusion of the European Parliament elections in France, where exit polls showed the far-right National Rally securing a convincing victory with 31.5% of the vote.

"The rise of nationalists and demagogues is a danger not only for our nation but for our Europe, for France's place in Europe and the world," Macron emphasized, expressing his belief in democracy and the sovereign right of the people to choose.

"This result is not good for the parties that defend Europe," Macron added, noting that the far-right is gaining popularity across the continent.

"I have decided to return to you the choice of your future through your vote," concluded the French President.

It should be noted that the far-right's result is more than double that of the centrist and liberal politicians' list supported by Macron. The pro-presidential bloc came in second in the elections, garnering only 15.2% of the vote, compared to their previous 22.4% in the last European elections.

Additionally, another far-right list, "Reconquête," is on the verge of surpassing the 5% threshold, further indicating the growing popularity of the far-right.

Jordan Bardella, deputy leader of the National Rally, believes the election results send "a clear signal to Emmanuel Macron and European leaders." He "solemnly requested" that the French President dissolve the National Assembly and organize new parliamentary elections.

It should be noted that, under French law, the head of state is not obliged to comply with such requests based on the European Parliament elections. However, the issues faced by the pro-presidential list in the European elections have provided the opposition with an opportunity to exert further pressure on the government, leading Emmanuel Macron to deem it appropriate to dissolve the parliament and call for early elections.