Left becomes strongest force in French parliamentary elections - government called for
The left-green New People's Front (NFP) is projected to win between 171 and 187 seats according to the forecasts. The right-populist Rassemblement National (RN) of Le Pen ended up with only 134 to 152 seats, but they can still significantly increase their numbers. Previously, the RN had 88 deputies in the parliament.
The government coalition is projected to lose its relative majority based on the initial forecasts. They would therefore slip to the second place with 152 to 163 seats. Previously, the Macron camp had a relative majority of 250 seats in the National Assembly.
None of the three blocks will therefore come close to an absolute majority. The left-green alliance and Macron's center bloc withdrew their candidates in over 200 constituencies in the second round to prevent the advance of the right-wing populists. This strategy seems to have paid off.
Prime Minister Borne announced his resignation after the government's poor showing in the elections. "In accordance with republican tradition and my principles, I will submit my resignation to the President tomorrow in Paris," he said. He added, however, that he was ready to stay on until the upcoming Olympic Games in France "as long as duty requires it." It is up to President Macron to accept or reject Borne's resignation. Macron could also keep the cabinet in power as a caretaker government until the Olympics end on August 11.
France must prepare for a period of political instability: The three major blocks in the National Assembly could obstruct each other, paralyze the government, and plunge the country into a political crisis. The left-green alliance is hostile to the Macron camp, and the left-green alliance itself is anything but united.
The former leader of the left-populist party La France Insoumise (LFI), Jean-Luc Mélenchon, made a claim for government formation for his alliance on Sunday evening. "The New People's Front is ready to govern," he said. Prime Minister Borne must go. LFI is the largest group within the alliance, but Mélenchon is unwelcome among the other parties involved. "We have won," chanted the supporters of the left-green alliance.
Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure spoke out explicitly against a possible "coalition" with the government camp. "The New People's Front must take charge of this new chapter in our history," Faure said. He emphasized that the pension reform, which raised the retirement age to 64, should be abolished. "It's time to tax the rich and super profits," he declared. The left-politician Raphaël Glucksmann called for dialogue and discussion.
Left-populists, Socialists, Communists, and Greens had surprisingly forged an alliance before the first round of parliamentary elections despite many differences. They could not agree on a common candidate for the premiership.
Already, there have been withdrawals from the government camp regarding a possible premier from the left: No one can yet say who has won, emphasized Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin - "especially not Mr. Mélenchon." Macron is currently not making any decisions and is waiting for the composition of the new National Assembly to be clear, as it was announced from the Elysée Palace. The center-block is still "very lively."
According to the surveys leading up to the election, the right-wing RN was seen as the favorite, and it was not ruled out that they could obtain the absolute majority of 289 out of 577 seats in the National Assembly. After their good performance in the European election, the right-wing populists had won the first round of the parliamentary election: They had received 33 percent of the votes, the left-green alliance was in second place with 28 percent, and the government camp was in third place with 20 percent.
Subsequently, it was assumed that Macron might have to name RN leader Jordan Bardella as prime minister. Macron had unexpectedly called for a snap election after the RN's triumph in the European election. Bardella expressed his anger: He criticized the left-green alliance and the government camp as a "shameful alliance" that had deprived the French people of a "policy of progress." The RN was more than ever the "only alternative."
Le Pen emphasized that her party's victory was "only postponed." "I have too much experience not to be disappointed by a result where we have doubled the number of our deputies," said Le Pen, who intends to run again for president in the next presidential election. The conservatives, who had expressed support for an RN alliance, gained between 57 and 67 seats.
The political polarization in France led to an unusually high voter turnout in any case: It was around 67 percent and was the highest in decades.
- The left-wing alliance, including parties like La France Insoumise (LFI) led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, is projected to win a significant number of seats, potentially preventing Marine Le Pen's Rassemblement National (RN) from gaining an absolute majority in the parliamentary election.
- After the run-off election, the right-populist RN of Le Pen increased their seats from 88 to 134 to 152, but they are still not close to an absolute majority.
- Prime Minister Borne announced his resignation, stating that he will submit his resignation to President Macron in Paris and is ready to stay on until the Olympic Games in France, if duty requires it.
- The left-green alliance, including parties like the Socialists led by Olivier Faure, is against forming a coalition with the government camp, especially given the pension reform crisis.
- In the second round of the parliamentary elections, the left-green alliance and Macron's center bloc withdrew their candidates in over 200 constituencies to prevent the advance of the right-wing populists, a strategy that seems to have paid off.
- The Rassemblement National of Le Pen made significant gains in the parliamentary elections, doubling their number of deputies, despite Le Pen's disappointment with the results.
- The political polarization in France led to an unusually high voter turnout in the parliamentary elections, reaching around 67%, which is the highest in decades.
- The center-block, including President Emmanuel Macron's camp, is still "very lively," and Macron is waiting for the composition of the new National Assembly to be clear before making any decisions.
- Gabriel Attal, a key figure in the government camp, highlighted that everyone should respect the election results and called for unity in the country, regardless of their political ideologies.
