![The National Assembly is the central pillar of the French parliament. (EPA PHOTO) The National Assembly is the central pillar of the French parliament. (EPA PHOTO)](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-feed-data/57bf69d0-7768-4b00-9d58-6ee46d684d22.jpg/r0_0_800_600_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A look at France's complex two-round system as voters cast ballots in Sunday's high-stakes election.
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While President Emmanuel Macron's position is not directly at stake on Sunday, the make-up of parliament will have a big impact on the remainder of his term in office, which runs until 2027.
Here's how the voting works in one of Europe's most influential countries.
What role does the National Assembly play?
The National Assembly is the central pillar of the French parliament. The 577 deputies are directly elected for five years and vote on laws. There is also a second chamber of parliament, the Senate, which plays a secondary role and is elected at a different time.
If the chambers cannot agree, the government can give the National Assembly the final say on legislation. Macron's centrist alliance held the most seats in the National Assembly before it was dissolved, but not an absolute majority.
How important is a majority for Macron?
The last two years have been plagued by bickering and infighting, showing that governing without an absolute majority in the National Assembly is difficult.
Should a camp other than Macron's receive an absolute majority, the president would effectively be forced to appoint a head of government from their ranks.
The far-right nationalists have hopes of coming into government. Even if Macron's own job is not at stake in the election, his position would be significantly weakened in such a scenario.
How does the election work?
The politicians are elected directly by the people in their district.
Whoever receives more than half of the votes cast in their constituency wins a seat in parliament - provided this corresponds to at least a quarter of the registered voters there.
But very few ever manage this feat in the first round.
Most seats are allocated in a run-off election a week later. That's when the top two vote-getters will face off, along with any other candidate that received the support of at least 12.5 per cent of all registered voters in the district.
If several candidates make it through to the run-off, it is common for contenders to drop out of the race. This tactic has been used to consolidate voters and block victories by far-right candidates.
What about a hung parliament?
While not uncommon in other European countries, modern France has never experienced a parliament with no dominant party.
Such a situation requires politicians to build consensus across parties to agree on government positions and legislation. France's fractious politics and deep divisions over taxes, immigration and Mideast policy make that especially challenging.
That would likely derail Macron's promises to overhaul unemployment benefits or legalise life-ending procedures for the terminally ill, among other reforms. It could also make passing a budget more difficult.
with AP
Australian Associated Press