The French election may bring the far-right into power.

French citizens voted in the first round of a snap political election on Sunday, potentially ushering in the country’s first far-right administration since World War II. This might mark a significant shift for the European Union.

President Emmanuel Macron surprised the country by calling the vote after his centrist coalition was defeated in European elections last month by Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN). Her eurosceptic, anti-immigrant party was a longstanding outcast but is now closer to power than ever before.

Polls will open at 0600 GMT, and close at 1600 GMT in small towns and cities, and 1800 GMT in larger cities, when the first exit polls for the night and seat predictions for the pivotal second round a week later are expected.

However, the election method can make it difficult to anticipate the actual allocation of seats in the 577-seat National Assembly, and the ultimate result will not be known until voting concludes on July 7.