The first round of elections to France’s National Assembly takes place on Sunday, with President Emmanuel Macron aiming to bolster the relative majority held by his centrist movement in the lower house.

Polling stations open at 8 am (0600 GMT), with 49.3 million eligible voters. Voting has already commenced in several overseas territories.

Macron called for early elections after the far-right National Rally (RN) made significant gains in the recent European Parliament elections.

Pre-election polls show the RN leading, followed by the newly formed leftist alliance, the New Popular Front (NPF). Macron’s Renaissance party, leading the Ensemble (Together) alliance, is in third place. If the RN wins a majority in the 577-member National Assembly, Macron will be required to appoint a prime minister from the RN to ensure a stable Cabinet.

Candidates winning an absolute majority in the first round will be elected to the assembly, but most constituencies will decide their representatives after the second round on July 7.

Macron’s second and final term ends in 2027. A sharp decline in support for Renaissance could limit his effectiveness, with the RN’s Marine Le Pen emerging as a strong contender for the next presidential elections.