PARIS, Reuters, 19 Jun 2017- France voted a record number of women into parliament on Sunday, thanks largely to President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to field a gender-balanced candidate list for his victorious Republic on the Move (LREM) party.

As of late Sunday evening there were 156 women lawmakers elected to France’s National Assembly, already more than ever before, and with 148 seats as yet undecided.

Catherine Barbaroux, LREM’s acting president, hailed the increase of women’s share of parliamentary seats.

“For the first time under the Fifth Republic, the National Assembly will be deeply renewed – more diverse, younger,” she said. “But above all, allow me to rejoice, because this is a historic event for the representation of women in the National Assembly.”