France seeks way out of political limbo after defeating far right

France faced difficult inter-party discussions on Monday to name a new government, after the left unexpectedly snatched victory from the far right in the legislative elections, without an absolute majority.

Faced with the prevailing uncertainty, French President Emmanuel Macron asked his Prime Minister Gabriel Attalwho resigned, to continue in office”for now” for “ensure stability”, less than three weeks before the Paris Olympic Games.

The 46-year-old president shocked France with the surprise early elections following the victory of the extreme right in the European elections on June 9, with the aim of asking for a “political clarification” to the voters.

Voters responded by giving a new balance of power to the three blocs that emerged from the 2022 elections: left, centre-right and far-right. However, none of them achieved an absolute majority of 289 deputies.

The left-wing coalition New Popular Front (NFP) won about 180 seats, followed by Macron’s centre-right alliance (about 160) and the far-right party National Grouping (RN) and its allies (more than 140).

The leaders of the left-wing coalition have said they are ready to govern. Macron “should officially ask the NFP today to give him the name of a prime minister“, declared the leader of the environmentalists, Marine Tondelier.

The boss of the Socialist Party, Olivier Faureadvocated that the left front present a candidate for prime minister “over week”, and that this one be chosen “by consensus or by vote”.

But to stay in power they need a majority, and within this coalition, which ranges from social democrats to anti-capitalists, its members disagree on possible parliamentary alliances.

The France Insoumise (LFI)the radical wing of the NFPand its leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon crystallize some of the tensions.

Faced with the rejection generated by the possibility of her running for prime minister, MP Mathilde Panot stressed on Monday that she is not “not at all disqualified”.

“We’re going to have to behave like adults.“, he said on Sunday Raphael Glucksmanna symbol of the social democratic wing of the NFP, for whom “dialogue“It is a change in political culture” in a France that is not used to parliamentarism.

The right-wing party The Republicans (LR)which managed to keep about 60 deputies after one party made a pact with the extreme right, has already assured that “There will be neither coalition nor compromise” for his part.

“The tide keeps rising”

After a tense campaign, in which Macron accused LFI of “anti-semite” and “unparliamentary”, his centre-right alliance will find it difficult to support a government that includes this party or even reach agreements with it.

The program of the NFP It also includes several red lines for the ruling alliance and the right, such as the repeal of the unpopular pension reform of 2023 and the approval of a tax on large fortunes.

Edouard Philippeformer prime minister and ally of Macroncalled on political forces to “to promote the creation of an agreement”, but without RN or LFI, since a “The absence of a majority and a government would expose France” to “fearsome dangers”.

The Minister of Economy, Bruno Le Mairewarned against the risk of “financial crisis” and “slump” which raises “The new political scenario, without absolute majorities”.

But a new government may be a while in the making. Macron He has already announced that he will wait to see how things go.structure“The National Assembly, which will meet on July 18, will decide who to name as the next prime minister, according to the presidency.

Isolated and defeated thanks to the “republican front“which was woven in the second round by the left and the official alliance, the extreme right could become the main opposition force during the next legislative period.

“The tide is rising. This time it has not risen enough, but it is still rising and, as a result, our victory has only been postponed.“warned far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who hopes to become French president in 2027.

Following the election results, the Paris stock market traded slightly lower on Monday. The CAC40 index fell by 0.49%.