France’s far-right party, the National Rally, has surged in the polls, winning a crushing victory in the first round of voting for the French National Assembly. Early projections suggest the party will take about 34 percent of the vote, ahead of left-wing parties and President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Renaissance party. Turnout was high at 67 percent, indicating significant interest in the election. The National Rally is now likely to become the largest force in the lower house.
If a new majority opposed to Macron emerges, he may be forced to appoint a political adversary as prime minister, leading to potential political turmoil. In Iran, voters showed discontent with clerical rule in the presidential election, with a runoff set between a reformist and an ultraconservative candidate. Despite attacks on the status quo by candidates, pessimism remains high that a new president can effect change due to the influence of Iran’s supreme leader.
In the U.S., President Biden’s family urged him to stay in the race despite concerns about his debate performance. Advisors are discussing whether he should hold a news conference to change the narrative. Meanwhile, Netflix is introducing Japan’s first same-sex reality dating series, “The Boyfriend,” aiming to portray same-sex relationships authentically. The show draws inspiration from Japan’s popular romantic reality show, “Terrace House.”
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