Macron will face a challenging battle for parliamentary control in France votes

• France will vote in a crucial election for the country’s parliament that might deny centrist President Emmanuel Macron 
• In a vote that might alter the course of French politics, voting begins at 8 a.m. 
• According to opinion surveys, the far right is also expected to achieve its greatest legislative triumph in decades, while the conservatives will likely act as kingmakers and a broad left-green alliance may become the main opposition force.

France will vote in a crucial election for the country’s parliament that might deny centrist President Emmanuel Macron the absolute majority he needs to rule with impunity.

In a vote that might alter the course of French politics, voting begins at 8 a.m. (0600 GMT) with preliminary results anticipated at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT).

Although pollsters estimate Macron’s team will win the most seats, they warn that it is not certain that it will be enough to win an absolute majority of 289 MPs.

According to opinion surveys, the far right is also expected to achieve its greatest legislative triumph in decades, while the conservatives will likely act as kingmakers and a broad left-green alliance may become the main opposition force.

If Macron’s campaign does not win an outright majority, that would lead to a period of uncertainty that could be resolved by a level of power-sharing among parties that has not previously occurred in France. Alternatively, it could lead to a protracted state of paralysis and later repeat parliamentary elections.

In April, Macron won a second term. He wants to raise the retirement age, advance his pro-business agenda, and deepen European Union membership.

With the rare exception of Francois Mitterand in 1988, French voters often elect a president and then, a few weeks later, give him a solid parliamentary majority in legislative elections. That might yet be accomplished by Macron and his allies.

But when severe inflation that raises the cost of living sends shockwaves through the French political scene, the revitalised left is putting up a stiff fight.

According to officials in the center-right and conservative parties, if Macron and his allies fall short of an absolute majority by only a few seats, they might be persuaded to recruit lawmakers from those groups.

If they fall short by a greater margin, they might either look to form an alliance with the conservatives or form a minority government that would have to bargain with other parties over individual policies.

Even if Macron’s team does end up winning the 289 seats or more required to prevent sharing power, it will probably be due to Edouard Philippe, his former prime minister, who will be pushing for increased influence over the government’s decisions.

Therefore, Macron, known for his top-down style of governance, is facing at a fresh mandate where he will need to make more compromises after five years of absolute authority.

A scenario that might send the second-largest economy in the euro zone into an unstable phase of cohabitation between a president and prime minister from different political groupings has not been predicted by any polls, led by the far left Nupes of Jean-Luc Melenchon.