the french capital where voters have been flocking to the polls all morning, some hoping for the first far right government since the war, other desperately trying to block it. and — a sky full of stars at coldplay�*s glastonbury set — with a few surprise guests. hello. welcome to this hour. we will have more on the uk election but let's take you to an election that is happening at the moment. voting in the first round of france's parliamentary elections is under way. the surprise election, called by president emmanuel macron, has thrown french politics into disarray, support for the anti—immigration and eurosceptic national rally party has surged despite president macron�*s pledges to stop its rise. this is the leader of the national rally casting his ballot — the 28—year—old is seen as a protege of marine le pen. his party is expected to come first — but it's unclear whether they'd command an overall majority. the second round of voting will be on the seventh ofjuly. you can see marine le pen in the voting booth. his party is expected to come first — but it's unclear whether they'd command an overall majority. it is important to note this is just the first round in those parliamentary elections. the second round of voting will be on the seventh ofjuly. the ballot is about to go in... about to go in. and there you go. we thought we'd wait for that. let's speak to our correspondent mark lowen in paris. we have just seen marine le we havejust seen marine le pen we have just seen marine le pen cast a ballot. things are looking good according to the polls for her party but this is just round one of two sub—ringers up—to—date on where you see things standing. what sub-ringers up-to-date on where you see things standing.— see things standing. what we see is a re see things standing. what we see is a pretty healthy _ see things standing. what we see is a pretty healthy turnout _ see things standing. what we see is a pretty healthy turnout this - a pretty healthy turnout this morning. at this polling station in paris that they see voters have been coming pretty much all morning. according to the opinion polls almost one in ten french people have changed their holiday dates to vote today and among young people between 18 and 25 it is almost one in five. who though that benefit? quite possibly the far right national rally party who have a very strong support base a young young people partly because their candidate is jung himself. he has the star of french politics, certainly among his voters and has massively capitalised on their support in recent years and thumped president macron�*s centrist party in the european elections prompting the snap election, at emmanuel macron took a huge gamble hoping the far right and the left would not be ready and it looks like he may have failed on both counts because the left have come together into a coalition and the far right are towering over the opinion polls. it leaves france any hugely consequential moment, possibly about to elect its first far right government since the second world war or possibly heading to a hung parliament. professorjonah levy is a professor of french and european politics at the university of california berkeley and explained what a man u micron�*s intention was. when macron made, i think, a pretty irresponsible gamble. the reason he called it was that he is just short of a legislative majority, and has found it difficult to pass his legislation. he also wanted to respond to his party's crushing defeat in the european parliamentary elections. and so he thought that by, uh, dissolving parliament and campaigning as a rampart against the national rally, he could restore his party to an absolute majority. that was a huge gamble, considering that it does open the possibility that the national rally will be in power under the situation that the french referred to as a cohabitation, meaning the president cohabits with a legislature that's controlled by the opposing party. there have been three such cohabitations, and in each case, the president has basically been reduced to a figurehead, and parliament and power has shifted to the parliament and to the prime minister. the only area where there's some ambiguity, and it could be important in this upcoming case concerns national defence and foreign policy. were constitutional texts support the claims of both the president and the prime minister. so it is possible that we would see tussles over foreign policy. but when it comes to domestic policy, the prime minister, that is the national rally would have all the power and macron would not be able to do much of anything. that was professorjoan alleviate from the university of california. there are a lot of different opinions going into the selection and we have a selection of voters for you live on bbc news to take the pulse of the electorate. you are if i may tell our viewers a president macron voter. do you feel angry with him for calling this early election and risking not only many of his candidates but bringing in the far right. candidates but bringing in the far riuht. ., ., ,., , , right. the main reason behind this ma be we right. the main reason behind this maybe we are _ right. the main reason behind this maybe we are going _ right. the main reason behind this maybe we are going to _ right. the main reason behind this maybe we are going to get - right. the main reason behind this maybe we are going to get a - maybe we are going to get a coalition_ maybe we are going to get a coalition and in that case i think the goal— coalition and in that case i think the goal of a man u micron is to show_ the goal of a man u micron is to show what — the goal of a man u micron is to show what they would do if they get elected _ show what they would do if they get elected president in 2027. of course i am angry— elected president in 2027. of course i am angry because i believe in micron's — i am angry because i believe in micron's values but i think it is a strategy— micron's values but i think it is a strategy and i am sure it is a choice — strategy and i am sure it is a choice he _ strategy and i am sure it is a choice he has made. the calculation is that ou choice he has made. the calculation is that you would _ choice he has made. the calculation is that you would think, _ choice he has made. the calculation is that you would think, 0k, - choice he has made. the calculation is that you would think, 0k, voters | is that you would think, 0k, voters are ready to give us a kicking in the european elections but maybe not yet ready to go for the far right. you are ready to go for the far right. this is a party that has tried to detoxify for many years. is it really ready, is it a truly democratic republic party? for me, es. we democratic republic party? for me, yes- we are — democratic republic party? for me, yes. we are really _ democratic republic party? for me, yes. we are really fed _ democratic republic party? for me, yes. we are really fed up _ democratic republic party? for me, yes. we are really fed up about - democratic republic party? for me, yes. we are really fed up about no| yes. we are really fed up about no security and our country and fed up also because the government is spending too much money on welfare, etc, so now we are ready to have another possibility to lead and another possibility to lead and another way. another possibility to lead and another way-— another possibility to lead and another way. another possibility to lead and anotherwa . ., ., , , . another way. emigration is very much at the to- another way. emigration is very much at the tap of — another way. emigration is very much at the tap of your— another way. emigration is very much at the top of your agenda? _ another way. emigration is very much at the top of your agenda? yes, - another way. emigration is very much at the top of your agenda? yes, plus | at the top of your agenda? yes, plus security and our country. the far right promising a big bang in terms of authority in the schools. the question is whether the centre—right will go to the far right and you are a voterfor the will go to the far right and you are a voter for the centre—right, charles de gaulle's party, can i ask, did you stick with them today? i stuck with them today because i used _ i stuck with them today because i used to— i stuck with them today because i used to he — i stuck with them today because i used to he a _ i stuck with them today because i used to be a form _ i stuck with them today because i used to be a form your— i stuck with them today because i used to be a form your a - i stuck with them today because i used to be a form your a man - i stuck with them today because i used to be a form your a man u l used to be a form your a man u micron — used to be a form your a man u micron voter— used to be a form your a man u micron voter but _ used to be a form your a man u micron voter but over _ used to be a form your a man u micron voter but over the - used to be a form your a man u micron voter but over the last l used to be a form your a man u . micron voter but over the last five years _ micron voter but over the last five years they — micron voter but over the last five years they have _ micron voter but over the last five years they have made _ micron voter but over the last five years they have made mistakes i micron voter but over the last five i years they have made mistakes and have not— years they have made mistakes and have not been— years they have made mistakes and have not been very _ years they have made mistakes and have not been very efficient - years they have made mistakes and have not been very efficient so - years they have made mistakes and have not been very efficient so i- have not been very efficient so i wanted — have not been very efficient so i wanted to — have not been very efficient so i wanted to go— have not been very efficient so i wanted to go a _ have not been very efficient so i wanted to go a little _ have not been very efficient so i wanted to go a little bit - have not been very efficient so i wanted to go a little bit back . have not been very efficient so i wanted to go a little bit back to| wanted to go a little bit back to the republicans _ wanted to go a little bit back to the republicans and _ wanted to go a little bit back to the republicans and that - wanted to go a little bit back to the republicans and that is - wanted to go a little bit back to the republicans and that is the| the republicans and that is the reason — the republicans and that is the reason i — the republicans and that is the reason i gave _ the republicans and that is the reason i gave them _ the republicans and that is the reason i gave them my- the republicans and that is thej reason i gave them my support the republicans and that is the - reason i gave them my support today. i reason i gave them my support today. i don't _ reason i gave them my support today. idon't trust _ reason i gave them my support today. idon't trust the — reason i gave them my support today. i don't trust the national _ reason i gave them my support today. i don't trust the national rally - reason i gave them my support today. i don't trust the national rally for - i don't trust the national rally for managing — i don't trust the national rally for managing france _ i don't trust the national rally for managing france and _ idon't trust the national rally for managing france and so- i don't trust the national rally for managing france and so i- i don't trust the national rally for managing france and so i prefer. i don't trust the national rally forl managing france and so i prefer to stay _ managing france and so i prefer to sta . ., , , managing france and so i prefer to sta. ., i, stay. your party is imploding. the leader of the _ stay. your party is imploding. the leader of the party _ stay. your party is imploding. the leader of the party wants - stay. your party is imploding. the leader of the party wants to - stay. your party is imploding. the leader of the party wants to join l leader of the party wants to join the national rally. do you think your party can really exist even after this? i your party can really exist even after this?— your party can really exist even after this? , , , ,., after this? i give them my support because before _ after this? i give them my support because before macron _ after this? i give them my support because before macron i _ after this? i give them my support because before macron i was - because before macron i was republican _ because before macron i was republican and _ because before macron i was republican and i— because before macron i was republican and i told - because before macron i was republican and i told myselfl because before macron i was- republican and i told myself macron was not _ republican and i told myself macron was not very— republican and i told myself macron was not very efficient _ republican and i told myself macron was not very efficient so _ republican and i told myself macron was not very efficient so now- republican and i told myself macron was not very efficient so now i- republican and i told myself macron was not very efficient so now i go i was not very efficient so now i go back— was not very efficient so now i go back to _ was not very efficient so now i go back to the — was not very efficient so now i go back to the republicans - was not very efficient so now i go back to the republicans because i was not very efficient so now i go| back to the republicans because i want the — back to the republicans because i want the republicans _ back to the republicans because i want the republicans to - back to the republicans because i want the republicans to stay- back to the republicans because i want the republicans to stay in i back to the republicans because i. want the republicans to stay in the debate _ want the republicans to stay in the debate. ., �*, ., ., debate. macron's great hope was to create the centre _ debate. macron's great hope was to create the centre so _ debate. macron's great hope was to create the centre so that _ debate. macron's great hope was to create the centre so that nobody . create the centre so that nobody would vote right and left but the centre has imploded and he has pushed people to the extremes. he has failed, hasn't he? that pushed people to the extremes. he has failed, hasn't he?— has failed, hasn't he? that is one wa of has failed, hasn't he? that is one way of seeing _ has failed, hasn't he? that is one way of seeing it — has failed, hasn't he? that is one way of seeing it but _ has failed, hasn't he? that is one way of seeing it but i _ has failed, hasn't he? that is one way of seeing it but i believe - way of seeing it but i believe people — way of seeing it but i believe people are self—aware and pretty aware that extremism is not a solution _ aware that extremism is not a solution. european elections have shown— solution. european elections have shown that in many countries the extremes — shown that in many countries the extremes are winning but they believe — extremes are winning but they believe it— extremes are winning but they believe it is important not to repeat — believe it is important not to repeat history.— believe it is important not to repeat history. under briefly the national rally _ repeat history. under briefly the national rally is _ repeat history. under briefly the national rally is willing - repeat history. under briefly the national rally is willing to - repeat history. under briefly the national rally is willing to stop i national rally is willing to stop automatic birthright for foreign nationals, to make it much harder forforeigners to come nationals, to make it much harder for foreigners to come and join theirfamilies. as it still extreme? it is going to provoke riots. it is it is going to provoke riots. it is not extreme. — it is going to provoke riots. it is not extreme, it _ it is going to provoke riots. it is not extreme, it is _ it is going to provoke riots. it 3 not extreme, it is about finding a balance and everybody around me as fed up, depending of any age from 15 years old to 90 years old, because macron is too much proud of himself and still believes he can do a good speech every day but it is not the time. . ., speech every day but it is not the time. . ~' ,. , . speech every day but it is not the time. . ,, ,, , . ., time. thank you very much indeed for “oininr us time. thank you very much indeed for joining us on — time. thank you very much indeed for joining us on bbc— time. thank you very much indeed for joining us on bbc news _ time. thank you very much indeed for joining us on bbc news and _ time. thank you very much indeed for joining us on bbc news and good - time. thank you very much indeed for joining us on bbc news and good luck with the voting today. we will continue to have all the analysis and updates throughout the day but for now we will head back to london. more on the bbc website on those elections in france and we will have more on the bbc news website as well if you want more analysis and background. here in the uk, campaigning for this coming week's general election is entering its closing stages. rishi sunak has been defending the conservatives 1a year record in government saying the party is now on the right track. he has been speaking to my colleague laura kuenssberg saying the last few years were difficult but the uk is no better place to live than in 2010. of course i understand that the last few years have been difficult for everyone. we had a once in a century pandemic followed by a war in ukraine that drove up everyone's bills and, of course, that has been difficult for everybody, but we've also made progress in tackling those things. inflation is back to normal, the economy growing again, wages rising, energy bills set to fall again just next week and now we are able to start cutting people's taxes to give them financial security. so, yes, of course it has been difficult, but we are now on the right track with the prospect of more tax cuts to come to give people more financial security and that is the key choice for people in this selection, building on the progress that we have made. meanwhile pat mcfadden who is running the labour party campaign has defended their manifesto commitments when it comes to defence. first of all the last time defence spending — first of all the last time defence spending was up 2.5% of gdp was when labour— spending was up 2.5% of gdp was when lahourwere— spending was up 2.5% of gdp was when labourwere in spending was up 2.5% of gdp was when labour were in power. the conservatives have been on for 14 years _ conservatives have been on for 14 years and — conservatives have been on for 14 years and have had 14 years to reach that figure _ years and have had 14 years to reach that figure and have never done so. now they— that figure and have never done so. now they say they want to do it. we actually— now they say they want to do it. we actually said before they said that that we _ actually said before they said that that we wanted to do it but there is another— that we wanted to do it but there is another point about this as well. like everything, we want to show financial— like everything, we want to show financial responsibility about this and make — financial responsibility about this and make sure that we can pay for it in one _ and make sure that we can pay for it in one of— and make sure that we can pay for it in one of the — and make sure that we can pay for it in one of the features of this campaign, which we have had some criticism _ campaign, which we have had some criticism for — campaign, which we have had some criticism for from some qua