Kiss

France's president will be hoping his habit of planting a peck on a pate on polling days will bring him luck in parliamentary elections.

He repeated the gesture on voting day for the European elections in 2019. The president needs a majority in parliament in order to have a free hand for his proposed tax-cuts and changes to the welfare system. The parliament elections, held in two rounds this month, will set the balance of power for Emmanuel Macron’s second term, defining his capacity to deliver domestic policy such as raising the retirement age and overhauling the benefits system.