In a surprising turn of events, a coalition of the French left has emerged with the most seats in the high-stakes legislative elections held on Sunday. This outcome has defied expectations and beaten back a far-right surge, though the left coalition has fallen short of winning a majority. This result leaves France, a key pillar of the European Union and the upcoming Olympic host, facing the prospect of a hung parliament and potential political paralysis.
Election Results And Political Turmoil
President Emmanuel Macron had called for the election on June 9, hoping for clarification after the far right surged in the European Parliament elections. However, this strategy appears to have backfired. According to the official results released early Monday, none of the three main blocs secured the 289 seats required to control the 577-seat National Assembly, the more powerful of France’s two legislative chambers.
The New Popular Front leftist coalition placed first with just over 180 seats, ahead of Macron’s centrist alliance, which secured more than 160 seats. Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally and its allies came in third with more than 140 seats, marking a significant improvement from their previous best showing of 89 seats in 2022. The hung parliament is unprecedented in modern France.
Reactions and Implications
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who plans to offer his resignation, highlighted the unprecedented nature of the political situation. With the Paris Olympics looming, Attal said that he is ready to stay at his post “as long as duty demands.”
As Macron prepares to attend a NATO summit in Washington, France faces uncertainty over its next prime minister and the potential need for the president to share power with a politician opposed to his policies. Despite the political turmoil, many on the left celebrated the election results. In Paris’ Stalingrad square and Republique plaza, supporters cheered and applauded as the leftist alliance’s projections were announced.