French President Emmanuel Macron has called a snap election after his party suffered a heavy defeat in elections for the European Parliament. 

Exit polls put Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party well ahead of Macron’s pro-European centrists. 

France Correspondent Catherine Field told Mike Hosking “The reason this came so out of nowhere – is that it’s not meant to be about local politics.” 

Field said “Macron’s felt he had no choice but to call these elections.” 

LISTEN ABOVE.