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THE atmosphere in the pavilions in Paris’ Bois de Vincennes forest was already festive to celebrate the victory of the National Rally (RN), but changed when the exit polls came out at 8pm local time.

Party officials spoke in hushed tones regarding their indications of failure. Anxious glances were exchanged, the glasses seemed more half-empty than half-full.

Then the screen flashed the story: National Rally was beaten into third place by the left and by President Macron’s centrists. There was a stunned silence – and then sporadic applause from party supporters to try to keep spirits up.

“We are sad, disappointed, shocked by this result,” said Rosa Gave, holding a French flag.

“We are victims of a dishonest alliance led by Macron to prevent us from coming to power.”

The “alliance” was more of a pact, struck in the final week by opponents of the National Rally — that in the many three-way contests where the RN was leading, a third candidate would step aside, encouraging voters to rally behind the figure most likely to stop the far-right. And it worked. It’s a common electoral tactic here — but it still draws the RN’s ire.

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When Jordan Bardella, RN’s 28-year-old president, arrived, cheers erupted from the small crowd inside the room.

“Depriving millions of French people of the possibility of seeing their ideas come to power would never be a fate worthy of France,” he said.

He slammed President Emmanuel Macron for, he said, pushing France towards instability – and into the arms of what he called the “extreme left”: a reference to France Unbowed, the party that led the winning left-wing coalition.

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And then Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally, whose dream of national power was once more thwarted at the last moment. She was mobbed by journalists, as her supporters chanted “Marine, President!” Several reporters fell into the crowd.

“The tide is turning – our victory is only being postponed,” he said, calling President Macron’s position “unbearable.”

The president who came to power on the promise of reviving the political center, of bridging the right and the left, has instead pushed the French people to the extremes. And while many in the National Rally will be deeply disappointed that their victory in the first round of this election did not lead them to power following the second round, they will be celebrating the significant increase in their number of MPs since the last legislative elections, confident that one day their time will come.

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“France has chosen the worst coalition,” said Matteo Giammaresi, a National Rally supporter, holding his champagne glass on the quickly emptying dance floor.

“What we are saying now is to give France hope for the future.”

The party will now wait for this government, believing that division and disunity will benefit Marine Le Pen. And then, in the 2027 presidential election, she will be able to say – this is what happens when we are blocked from power.

What kind of government will emerge now is still very unclear.

A hung parliament awaits – and potential paralysis of government. France has plunged into political uncertainty – but not in the way observers predicted. (BBC/Z-3)