Campaigning kicks off in France for snap election, Le Pen’s far right party holds comfortable lead

Campaigning kicked off in France on Monday for a snap parliamentary election which opinion polls suggest the far-right National Rally will win, with President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance coming third, behind a leftwing ticket.

Political uncertainty triggered a sell-off of French bonds and stocks after Macron unexpectedly called the election, following a trouncing of his ruling centrist party by Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) in European Parliament elections.

Macron’s gamble...