Protests erupt in Paris after far-right National Rally party's big win

Following a significant loss for his Renaissance party (14.6%) in Sunday's European Parliament election, where Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) emerged victorious, garnering 31.4% of the vote, French President Emmanuel Macron announced snap elections and dissolved the National Assembly. Macron stated that lower house elections would take place on June 30, with a second-round vote scheduled for July 7. In response, France's left-wing opposition parties vowed to collaborate and put forth joint candidates for the snap parliament elections. In a collective statement issued late on Monday, the country's socialists, greens, France Unbowed, and communist parties, called for a united platform to "present an alternative to (President) Emmanuel Macron and fight against the racist project of the far right."