French President Francois Hollande votes in parliamentary elections.
Polls predict victories for the left in the 577-seat National Assembly, which would cement the recently elected president's power to pass his agenda of tax increases.
The Left already has a firm grip on the Senate, the upper house of parliament.
Hollande's conservative predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy also cast his ballot Sunday.
His party is neck and neck with the Socialists, but Hollande's faction is expected to get a leg up from coalition partners like the Greens party.
The field of more than 6,000 candidates will be narrowed down before the second-round vote on June 17.
Lindsey Parietti, Reuters
