International reactions - Between jubilation and riots: France's election result drives people onto the streets
One week ago, the Right won the Parliamentary election in France with a landslide. However, after the second round of counting, many were surprised by the results: According to the election results, a Left Alliance is expected to be the strongest force. The New Popular Front from the Left, Communists, Socialists, and Greens could reportedly obtain between 177 and 192 of the 577 seats – causing a great surprise. The center-ground of Emmanuel Macron and Attal, on the other hand, is said to have dropped from previously 250 to now 152-169 seats.
None of the groups are predicted to achieve an absolute majority of 289 seats, a government-majority is therefore not in sight, and the Left lacks a common leadership. It remains uncertain what this result means for Germany and Europe. In France, Premier Minister Gabriel Attal announced initial consequences and announced his resignation.
Victory celebrations and riots
Initially, a landslide victory of the right-national Rassemblement National (RN) of Marine Le Pen was expected. The party and its allies grew from the last 88 to 138-145 seats – and thus only ended up in third place. Le Pen gave herself a calm response after the initial calculations: "The tide is still rising and our victory is only postponed." RN leader Jordan Bardella also said that his party is the only alternative to the supposed "unity party" of the left-wing camp and the center-ground.
In cities all over the country, riots occurred during demonstrations in the night. In Paris, thousands of people gathered on the Place de la République in the heart of the capital to celebrate the victory of the Left Alliance. However, some demonstrators clashed with law enforcement officers, who then used tear gas. Barricades made of wood were set on fire. Similar incidents occurred in Lille, Rennes, and Nantes.
German government eases up after French election results
Politicians in other countries breathe a sigh of relief regarding the Right-wing populists in France. "There is a certain relief that things, which were feared, did not happen," said the spokesman for the German government, Steffen Hebestreit, on Monday in Berlin. It remains to be seen "how a government will emerge from this rather unusual, also historical constellation."
Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck described the election result as encouraging. "First and foremost, it's good that nationalism in Europe is not getting stronger," said the Green politician to journalists in Stuttgart on Monday. However, there are still many challenges for Europe and the Franco-German relationship, as the Economic Minister emphasized.
The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Bundestag, Michael Roth, sees no reason for complacency. "The advance of the Right-wing Nationalists and Right-wing Extremists has been stopped. That is a great achievement of the French and the French people," said the SPD politician to the "Tagesspiegel" (online edition). "But it is still too early to give the all-clear, because the nationalist populists from the right and the left are stronger than ever. The center is weaker than ever. Macron has failed catastrophically."
CDU Politician Armin Laschet sees opportunities for the upcoming elections in Germany instead. "The feeling that France is actually already moving to the right is wrong," said Laschet, a member of the German-French Parliamentary Assembly, on Monday in the ZDF-"Morgenmagazin". The situation in France reminds him a little of the upcoming elections in Germany: "We're acting as if Eastern Germany is already in the hands of the AfD. But they only have one third." If two thirds went to the polls and turnout was high, "the chance of keeping the AfD out is just as great as in France."
Grand Coalition or Minority Government?
As for France, it's still uncertain how things will proceed. Whether the Left can form a minority government on their own is uncertain. The other factions could bring down such a government through a vote of no confidence.
If none of the parties find a government majority, the current government could temporarily carry out administrative duties or an expert government could be appointed. France faces the risk of political standstill in such a scenario. A new dissolution of the Parliament by Macron and a new election are only possible in July 2025 again.
- Despite initial expectations of a landslide victory for the Rassemblement National led by Marine Le Pen, they ended up in third place in the Parliamentary election in France, with a shift from 88 to 138-145 seats.
- The results of the Parliamentary election in France have beenseen as a relief by politicians in Germany, with the German government spokesperson Steffen Hebestreit stating that it's unclear how a government will emerge from the current historical constellation.
- Vice-Chancellor Robert Habeck described the election result as encouraging, emphasizing that it's good that nationalism in Europe is not getting stronger, but acknowledging that there are still challenges for Europe and the Franco-German relationship.
- Emmanuel Macron and his coalition are expected to drop from 250 to 152-169 seats in the Parliamentary election in France, leaving the center-ground weakened and the left as the strongest force, but lacking a common leadership.
