France's Macron headed for overwhelming parliamentary majority

French President Emmanuel Macron's party is on course for an overwhelming parliamentary majority, after Sunday's first round of voting for the National Assembly left traditional parties in disarray.

French President Emmanuel Macron leaves the polling station after voting in the first round of the two-stage legislative elections in Le Touquet, France Source: AAP

Projections showed Macron widening his centrist revolution, with his Republique en Marche (Republic on the Move, REM) party and its ally MoDem tipped to win between 400 and 445 seats in the 577-member National Assembly in next Sunday's second round.

Such a share would give Macron one of the biggest parliamentary majorities for 60 years.

"France is back," Prime Minister Edouard Philippe declared triumphantly.

"For the past month, the president has shown confidence, willingness and daring in France and on the international stage," Philippe said, calling the result a vindication of Macron's "winning strategy".

But the vote was marked by record low turnout of 49 percent, possibly reflecting fatalism among Macron's opponents in the face of his seemingly unstoppable advance, experts said.