FREE CITIZENS NEWS FUNDED BY READERS: The first poll following the news that French President Emmanuel Macron will hold snap elections in June shows the National Rally obtaining a relative majority between 235 and 265 seats, while Macron’s party would score only 125 to 155 seats.

However, the poll from Harris Interactive for the French publication Challenges was conducted before the news broke that National Rally and The Republicans (LR) would form an alliance together. Under their election pact, the candidates for The Republicans would run under the National Rally ticket.

The Harris Interactive poll shows that The Republicans would earn between 40 and 55 seats if the vote were held now. It remains unclear how many seats a combined ticket of National Rally and The Republicans would earn.

As previously reported, news broke Tuesday that the center-right Republicans (LR) led by Éric Ciotti will form an alliance with RN in an attempt to form a center-right to the right-wing government.

‘We need an alliance, we are doing it, an alliance with the National Rally, with its candidates. All outgoing Republican deputies who wish not to have an opponent from the RN will not have a competitor,’ Ciotti announced.

‘We love France, we believe in authority. The challenge is to straighten out the country,’ he added, admitting that his party has failed to resonate with French voters and ‘break through the sound barrier’ and therefore an alliance was necessary.

Analysts have called Macron’s decision to hold a snap election a major gamble that may result in Le Pen coming to power, which would result in a radical shift of power in the EU.

Although presidential elections are not on the line, Macron may be under extreme pressure to resign if Le Pen obtains an absolute majority in parliament.

The first round of French parliamentary elections will be held on June 30 and the second round on July 7.