In a new development in French politics, the country’s president, Emmanuel Macron, asked the current prime minister, Gabriel Attal, on Monday (8), to remain in his position.
Attal, who went to the Elysee Palace this morning, will ask to resign following the results of the legislative elections held in the country on Sunday (7), in which he surprised the left and won. But Macron asked him to stay in office until the situation is resolved.
This is because, despite winning the elections and preventing the far right from entering the country, the left did not obtain the minimum number of seats in the French parliament needed to nominate a prime minister.
Gabriel Attal is an ally of current President Emmanuel Macron – in France, the president and prime minister rule together.
In a surprise result on Sunday, the left-wing New Popular Front coalition won the most seats in France’s National Assembly in legislative elections, but without the power to govern alone.
The second round took place on Sunday (7), and approximately 60% of voters participated in it.See how the three largest seats in the new Legislative Council became:
- New Popular Front (left): 182 seats;
- Together (ruling and centrist coalition): 168 seats;
- National Gathering (far right): 143 seats.
For the far right, despite the impressive increase in seats won by the Reunion Nacional (Republican Party), from 88 to 143, the result was disappointing. In the first round, which took place just a week ago, Marine Le Pen’s party had outperformed all other political forces – even planning to secure an absolute majority in the Chamber of Deputies for itself.
“Our victory has just been postponed,” Le Pen said hours after an opinion poll showed the party in defeat.
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who is from Juntos, also conceded defeat and said he would make the post available on Monday (8).
It will be up to French President Emmanuel Macron to nominate a new prime minister based on the results of these elections. There is no indication yet when that will happen.
The left will need a coalition to govern.
Macron rejects resignation of allied prime minister, decides to keep him in office temporarily
Although they haven’t put the hammer down on the union yet, Leaders of the left bloc have indicated they may ally with the center to reach the 289 seats needed for a majority..
After Le Pen’s National Front won 33% of the vote in the first round, the New Popular Front and Gentoos formed a kind of security cordon to prevent the far right from coming to power.
However, the feasibility of the government joining the two forces remains uncertain. Both blocs have deep differences on certain issues, such as reforming the French pension system, for example.
Left is expected to win the second round of the French elections
Officials, politicians and sports celebrities commented on the left’s victory in the parliamentary elections in France.
“I am very happy to see the greatness and maturity of the political forces in France that have come together against extremism in today’s legislative elections. This result, together with the victory of the Labour Party in the United Kingdom, reinforces the importance of dialogue between progressives.” The sectors defending democracy and social justice should serve as an inspiration for South America.
The result was also celebrated by Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez.
“This week, one of the largest countries in Europe chose the same path that Spain chose a year ago: rejecting the far right and betting resolutely on a social left that addresses people’s problems with serious and courageous policies,” he wrote on social media. “With the far right you can’t reach an agreement or govern.”
In Poland, Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who opposes Vladimir Putin, celebrated the result, as the French far right was accused of having ties to the Russian leader. “In Paris, enthusiasm, in Moscow, disappointment, in Kiev, relief. Enough to be happy in Warsaw.”
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