Macron rejects resignation of Prime Minister Attal "for the time being"
The parliamentary election results in a clear loss for Macron's camp. Premier Attal offers his resignation on election night. However, the president initially refuses. The government formation process may drag on until after the Olympic Games, only then can Attal go.
Despite the setback of the government camp in the parliamentary elections, French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal remains in office for the time being. President Emmanuel Macron has reportedly rejected Attal's resignation request "for now" and asked him to stay in office to "maintain the stability of the country," according to the Elysée Palace.
Attal had offered his resignation but also expressed his readiness to serve temporarily as a caretaker. It is expected that Macron will delay the complex government formation process until after the Olympic Games.
Surprisingly, the left-green electoral alliance New Popular Front emerged as the winner from the second round of the parliamentary elections with approximately 180 seats. The government camp lost its previous majority and dropped from 250 to approximately 160 seats. The right-populist Rassemblement National (RN) party, which had been expected to win based on polls, came in third place with approximately 140 seats.
None of the three camps have achieved a government-majority. For an absolute majority, 289 of the 577 seats in the National Assembly are required.
Although all constituencies have been counted, the numbers are not definitive due to many candidates belonging to small parties, and their alignment to the camps is not always clear. Until July 18, the factions must form, each requiring at least 15 deputies to join. The New Popular Front could - like its predecessor Nupes - split into several factions.
In light of the New Popular Front's surprise victory in the parliamentary elections, French politics is facing a significant shift. President Emmanuel Macron is currently grappling with the challenge of forming a new government, given that no single camp has secured an absolute majority.
