Supporters of the New Popular Front celebrated the result of the vote in several cities.

Several thousand people welcomed the victory of the New Popular Front, which came out on top in the second round of legislative elections on Sunday.

Shouts of joy, fireworks and impromptu parades to celebrate the left’s results. Several gatherings were formed when the results of the second round of the legislative elections were announced on the evening of Sunday, July 7. Against all expectations, the New Popular Front came out on top by a small margin, with a range of between 177 and 192 deputies in the new hemicycle, according to our Ipsos-Talan estimate for France Télévisions, Radio France, France 24, RFI and LCP. The left and its good results were celebrated in the largest French cities.

In Paris

Supporters of the left-wing alliance gathered at Place de la République in Paris, where the mood was festive as soon as the results were announced at 8pm on Sunday. Large flags were waved and fireworks were set off directly into the square filled with cheers. Colin, very moved, expressed his relief: “Hallelujah! I would have been so ashamed if we were led by the National Rally. I have no words, I think of all the people who have been so afraid since the dissolution. All the immigrants, all the LGBT people, all the people in danger… and there is hope!”

“Thanks to the left for being smarter for once!”

Colin, a protester at Place de République in Paris

to franceinfo

The celebration, which began in a family atmosphere and was rather calm, with the exception of a few firecrackers, became a little tense shortly before midnight, with a crowd movement and the use of tear gas. The police were present: 5,000 gendarmes and police officers were mobilized Sunday evening in Paris in anticipation of excesses.

In Lyon

On the Place de la République in Lyon, the atmosphere was very festive. A fireworks display was improvised and the slogans “We won” And “We are all antifascists” were chanted fervently from 8 p.m. When the results came in, they surprised everyone. “It’s incredible ! enjoyed a voter. We beat the fascists! 24 hours earlier, it was unbelievable and we didn’t see the New Popular Front victorious. It’s a real relief. A shock, but a positive one!”

An emotion that was cheerfully expressed by an overrepresented youth in the streets of Lyon. 1,500 demonstrators gathered, according to the prefecture. Everything was calm around 11 p.m., even if small masked groups in black seemed to be moving around the fringes of the demonstration. A security force had been mobilized by the prefecture and the City of Lyon, to protect the police stations and neighborhood town halls from any possible overflow.

In Marseille

Several thousand people greeted the victory of the New Popular Front in Marseille. After 10 p.m., the demonstrations grew in size. A procession moved from the Old Port to the streets of the city center with several thousand people heading toward the festive districts of Cours Julien and La Plaine. Many anti-fascist chants could be heard, “Ciao Bardella” signs were visible. The procession went around the prefecture, around which police forces were deployed to protect the building.

In Rennes and Nantes

Several hundred people marched through the streets of Rennes and Nantes to celebrate the results of the legislative elections. Tensions broke out between police and protesters on Sunday evening. The Rennes gathering had been banned by the prefecture and the police were present in large numbers. 31 people were arrested “after damage was committed”, the prefecture said.

In Nantes, 2,500 people also gathered to follow the results in the city centre, in a festive atmosphere. On the sidelines of this demonstration, clashes broke out with the police. A police officer was injured and three people were arrested. The clashes took place even though no demonstration route had been filed with the prefecture.