French see no one to counter Macron, set to sweep parliament

June 12, 2017 at 4:17 a.m. | Updated June 12, 2017 at 4:30 a.m.

by Associated Press

French President Emmanuel Macron waves to the audience as he leaves a polling station in Le Touquet, northern France, after casting his vote in the first round of the two-stage legislative elections, Sunday, June 11, 2017. French voters are choosing legislators in the first round of parliamentary elections, with President Emmanuel Macron's party "Republic on the Move" hoping to win a strong majority in the National Assembly to push through bold labor and security reforms. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
French President Emmanuel Macron waves to the audience as he leaves a polling station in Le Touquet, northern France, after casting his vote in the first round of the two-stage legislative elections, Sunday, June 11, 2017. French voters are choosing legislators in the first round of parliamentary elections, with President Emmanuel Macron's party "Republic on the Move" hoping to win a strong majority in the National Assembly to push through bold labor and security reforms. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

PARIS (AP) - Candidates in the runoff of French parliamentary elections are hitting the campaign trail to try to lure voters to cast ballots next weekend after a record abstention rate in the first round and a likely sweep by President Emmanuel Macron's new party.

The Interior Ministry said on Monday that less than half of registered voters cast ballots a day earlier. Those who did gave Macron's the Republic on the Move party 28 percent of the vote - more than 12 points ahead of the closest rival, the mainstream conservatives.

Marine's Le Pen's far-right National Front fell flat with 13 percent of the vote.

Macron's rivals fear the elections will produce a virtual lack of opposition to counter an all-powerful president. Projections show pro-Macron candidates dominating parliament's 577-seat lower house.

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