Jubilation and stunned silence: France reacts to exit polls

A left-wing coalition called the New Popular Front is on course to win a surprise victory in France’s early parliamentary elections.

France’s far-right National Rally (RN) party was widely expected to win the election, but exit polls suggested it was beaten into third place, behind President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance.

Supporters of the New Popular Front celebrated the announced victory at Place Stalingrad in Paris, while people at the RN headquarters greeted the vote with stunned silence.