Turnout stood at 59.71% by around 5 p.m. (1500 GMT), up from 38.11% at that time during the second round of voting in 2022, the Interior Ministry said. It was the highest afternoon turnout level since 1981, pollsters Harris Interactive and Ipsos said, illustrating strong public interest in an election that has polarized political views.

The latest opinion polls have forecast the RN to win the most seats in the National Assembly, but predicted it may fall short of an absolute majority. A hung parliament would herald a prolonged period of instability and policy deadlock in the euro zone's second-biggest economy.