Riots and looting broke out across France as left-wing supporters flooded the streets to celebrate the New Popular Front coalition's victory over the right-wing National Rally and President Emmanuel Macron’s centrists, after early results were released on Sunday night.
Over 30,000 riot police officers had been deployed across France, including 5,000 in Paris, anticipating unrest following the election showdown.
Shortly after preliminary results were announced, chaos broke out at a New Popular Front rally in downtown Paris, with Nantes, Lyon, Marseille, and Rennes soon joining in.
The crowd gathered at Republic Square, firing fireworks and chanting: “Young people, screw the National Front!”
Police tried to disperse the crowd with tear gas as a hooded and masked mob hurled bottles, erected barricades, and set bikes on fire. At least one officer was reportedly injured by a Molotov cocktail.
In footage posted online, police are seen charging towards the center of the square.
Multiple fire brigades were deployed.
Restaurants, banks, and other venues in Paris had attempted to secure their windows with wooden panels ahead of the second-round election, but the mob still reportedly looted several shops.
After the square was cleared by the police, piles of trash and broken windows remained.
French President Emmanuel Macron called a snap parliamentary election last month after the right-wing National Rally party (RN) performed strongly at the EU parliamentary vote, beating his Renaissance Party with twice as many votes.
Despite leading the first round of the election, securing 33% of the vote, the RN suffered a setback in Sunday's ballot, coming third with 143 seats (out of 577). The left-wing New Popular Front bloc emerged as the winner with 182 seats but no absolute majority. Macron’s bloc took second place with 168 seats.