French voters are choosing lawmakers in a parliamentary election as President Emmanuel Macron seeks to secure his centrist majority.

His party is facing competition from a newly formed leftist coalition.

More than 6,000 candidates are running for 577 seats in the National Assembly in Sunday’s first round of voting.

Those winning more than 50% of the vote will be elected immediately.

In other cases, up to four candidates who get at least 12.5% support will advance to the second round on June 19th.

Macron was reelected in May.

The main opposition, led by hard-left politician Jean-Luc Melenchon, is against Macron raising France’s retirement age from 62 to 65, which he has promised to do.