French far right inflicts big defeat on Macron alliance in EU polls, projections show

Macron was to address France later Sunday over the results, the presidency said. Bardella, speaking to supporters, said the French had "expressed a desire for change".

Bardella urged Emmanuel Macron to dissolve parliament and call legislative elections after the president's alliance suffered a heavy defeat in European elections.

"The president cannot remain deaf to the message given by the French," Bardella said. "We request that he takes note of this new political situation and goes back to the French people and organises new legislative elections."

The score was the best ever recorded by the RN in elections in France.

The only consolation for the ruling party was it managed to narrowly retain second place ahead of a challenge from the Socialists, who were coming third with 13-14 percent of the vote, the projections showed.

The hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party was to score around nine percent, the traditional right-wing Republicans seven percent and the main French Green party EELV just five percent.

The results are a blow for Macron who has long portrayed himself as a bulwark against the far right in Europe and twice defeated RN figurehead Marine Le Pen in presidential elections.

Macron warned Thursday that the EU risked being "blocked" by a big far-right presence in the European Parliament after this week's elections.

The election results also mark a critical moment as eyes turn to France's 2027 presidential vote where Macron cannot stand again and Le Pen fancies she has her best-ever chance of winning the Elysee Palace.