French see no one to counter Macron, set to sweep parliament

Candidates in the runoff of French parliamentary elections are hitting the campaign trail to try to lure voters to cast ballots next weekend after a record abstention rate in the first round and a likely sweep by President Emmanuel Macron's new party.

 

The Interior Ministry said on Monday that less than half of registered voters cast ballots a day earlier. Those who did gave Macron's the Republic on the Move party 28 percent of the vote — more than 12 points ahead of the closest rival, the mainstream conservatives. 

 

Marine's Le Pen's far-right National Front fell flat with 13 percent of the vote.