France's Macron faces test in parliamentary elections

French President Emmanuel Macron's party is poised to win almost a third of the vote in the first round of a parliamentary election on Sunday, setting it up to secure a huge majority in a run-off vote a week later, a poll showed on Friday.

Polling stations open at 8:00 a.m. (0600 GMT) and close in the largest cities at 8:00 p.m. (1800 GMT).

A total of 7,882 candidates nationwide are vying for 577 seats up for grabs, and if no candidate wins over 50 percent of the votes in the first round, the two top-placed will go to the second round on June 18.

France's President Emmanuel Macron arrives to welcome his Peruvian counterpart Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, prior to a meeting, at the Elysee Palace, in Paris, Thursday, June 8, 2017.

French voters have traditionally rallied behind their new leader in the legislative elections that always follow the presidential ballot. Initially dismissed by Mr. Macron's opponents as a movement of young activists without any real roots, it will field 530 candidates on Sunday.

Some observers suggest Macron's candidates are merely riding the wave of popularity of the new president and may offer little opposition to their boss once they are elected.

Macron also plans to quickly pass a law to strengthen security measures - effectively making the state of emergency permanent, after multiple Islamic extremist attacks in France - and another one to put more ethics into French politics.

The Socialists of former President Hollande fear heavy losses after a disastrous performance in the presidential election.

In the wake of far-right Marine Le Pen's qualification for the presidential runoff, the National Front party is expected to get its highest-ever score - but does not appear able to become the major opposition force Le Pen had hoped for.

Macron has appealed to voters to give him a strong mandate to overhaul the labour market whose rigid rules on hiring and firing hold back the economy, according to many experts.

On the site's homepage, Macron calls President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from the agreement "unfortunate" but adds that the decision "only reinforced our determination".