The historically low turnout in Sunday’s first round of France’s parliamentary elections looks set to hasten the demise of the smaller parties in the National Assembly, leaving a divided Socialist party to form the only real opposition to the dominant centre-right grouping of President Nicolas Sarkozy.

Polling agencies last night estimated turnout at 60-63 per cent, the lowest for a first round of legislative elections for 40 years and more than 20 points down on the second round of last month’s momentous presidential contest.