Left-wing New Popular Front coalition set to upset Le Pen in France, but short of clear majority

France's left-wing New Popular Front coalition won the most seats in the second voting round of parliamentary elections, leading pollsters said on Sunday, putting them on track for an unexpected win over the far right National Rally (RN) party but short of an absolute majority in parliament.

An IFOP estimate for broadcaster TF1 said the New Popular Front could win 180-215 seats in parliament in the second voting round, while an Ipsos poll for France TV projected 172-215 seats for the left-wing bloc.

An Opinionway poll for C News TV said the New Popular Front would win 180-210 seats while an Elabe poll for BFM TV projected a range of 175-205 seats for them.

President Emmanuel Macron's centrist bloc was seen narrowly ahead of Marine Le Pen's RN party in the battle for second place, according to these polls.

Two hundred and eighty-nine seats are needed for an absolute majority in the National Assembly, France's lower house of parliament.