Violence has erupted in France after a left-wing coalition won the most seats in the country’s parliamentary elections, beating the much-anticipated far-right wave as well as President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance.
Footage showed masked demonstrators running through streets of France, igniting flares, and causing disturbances, while tens of thousands of riot police were deployed nationwide.
The incidents took place after a surprising exit poll on Sunday predicted the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance is leading the snap elections, winning 182 seats.
Macron’s centrist Ensemble alliance came second, securing 163 seats, while the far-right National Rally and its allies slumped to third place, winning 143 seats despite strong showing in first round of voting.
The surprising results crushed the National Rally’s hope to form the first far-right government in the country since the World War II.