Surprises are already marking 2024's global election cycle as half of the world population heads to the polls: France's parliamentary election has been overturned by the far right, while in the U.K., the Labor party is expected to win back the House of Commons.
Along with the upcoming American presidential election, at least 50 other nations are electing their leadership this year in what will be the largest electoral year of modern times.
While an overall shift to the right is widely expected across continents, recent preliminary results and polls are showing stark contrast in two of the world's largest economies.
In the U.K. and France, voters are expected to turn the balance of power upside down this week in parliamentary and general elections, though the shifts will be occurring in opposite directions.
The U.K. and France are, respectively, the sixth and seventh largest world economies by GDP, and the second and third largest in Europe after Germany.
Marine Le Pen And France's Sudden Right Turn: In France, a snap election dominated by the far-right National Rally party had European markets responding positively on Monday, as results show a rise to power by the far-right, but an unlikely supermajority in the National Assembly, which is the country's lower chamber.
The preliminary win from the party headed by long-time presidential candidate Marine Le Pen and 28-year-old party President Jordan Bardella, is putting pressure on President Emmanuel Macron to form a coalition that can stop the country from falling into a period of ...