French President Emmanuel Macron lost control of the National Assembly in Sunday’s legislative election, a major obstacle that could plunge the country into political paralysis unless it manages to negotiate alliances with other parties.
The centrist coalition of Macron Ensemble, which wants to raise the retirement age and further deepen EU integration, had to win the most seats in Sunday’s election. But that was quite a bit of the absolute majority needed to control parliament, initial forecasts and first results showed.
A broad left-wing alliance was determined to be the largest opposition group, while the far-right won record victories and the Conservatives are likely to become kings.
Finance Minister Bruno Le Mer called the result a “democratic shock” and added that “if other blocs do not cooperate, it will block our ability to reform and defend the French.”
The hanging parliament will require a degree of power-sharing and compromise between parties that have not had in France in decades. Macron may eventually call early elections if there is a stalemate.
French President Emmanuel Macron leaves the voting booth in Le Touquet, northern France, on Sunday. (Michelle Spingler / Associated Press)
In France, there is no set scenario for how things will turn out now. The last time the newly elected president failed to win a full majority in the parliamentary elections was in 1988.
“The result is a risk for our country in view of the challenges we have to face,” said Prime Minister Elizabeth Bourne, adding that Macron’s camp would work to find alliances from Monday.
Macron may eventually call early elections if there is a stalemate.
“The defeat of the presidential party is over and no clear majority is visible,” hard-line veteran veteran Jean-Luc Melenchon told applauding supporters.
The left-wing Liberation newspaper called the result a “slap” to Macron, and the economic daily Les Echos said it was an “earthquake”.
The left, the far right, wins
United behind Melanchon, the left parties were on track to triple their results from the last legislative elections in 2017.
In another significant change in French policy, the National Rally party of far-right leader Marine Le Pen could see a tenfold increase in MPs by as much as 90-95 seats, initial forecasts showed. This will be the party’s largest representation in the assembly.
The leader of the far-right party, Marine Le Pen, cast his ballot in a polling station in Hennen-Beaumont, northern France, on Sunday. (Dennis Charlet / AFP / Getty Images)
Initial forecasts by sociologists Ifop, OpinionWay, Elabe and Ipsos show that Macron’s alliance won 210-240 seats, Nupes secured 141-188 and Les Républicains 60-75.
Macron became the first French president in two decades to win a second term in April as voters came together to keep the far right out of power.
But, seen by many voters as out of touch, he presides over a deeply disappointed and divided country, where support for populist parties on the right and left has grown.
His ability to pursue further reform of the eurozone’s second-largest economy depends on gaining support for his policies from moderate people outside his union, both right and left.
unions?
Macron and his allies must now decide whether to seek an alliance with the conservative Republicans, who came in fourth, or to run a minority government that will have to negotiate laws with other parties on a case-by-case basis.
“There are moderates on the benches, on the right, on the left. There are moderate socialists and there are people on the right who may be on our side in terms of legislation,” said government spokeswoman Olivia Gregoire.
Les Républicains’ platform is more compatible with the Ensemble than other parties. Together, they have a chance for an absolute majority in the final results, which requires at least 289 seats in the lower house.
Workers empty an ballot box at a Cambrai polling station on Sunday. (Pascal Rosignol / Reuters)
Christian Jacob, leader of Les Républicains, said his party would remain in opposition, but it would be “constructive”, offering deals on a case-by-case basis, not a coalition pact.
Former National Assembly chief Richard Ferrand and Health Minister Brigitte Bourguignon lost their seats in two major defeats for Macron’s camp.
Macron called for a strong mandate during a fierce campaign amid war in Europe’s eastern suburbs, which has cut food and energy supplies and raised inflation, undermining household budgets.
Hard-line leader Jean-Luc Melenchon is speaking in Paris on Sunday after initial results showed success for his parliamentary bloc. (Michelle Euler / Associated Press)
“There is nothing worse than adding French unrest to the world’s disorder,” the president said before the vote in the second round.
Melenchon’s Nupes Alliance is campaigning for a freeze on commodity prices, lowering the retirement age, limiting inheritance and banning companies that pay dividends from laying off workers. Melenchon also called for disobedience to the European Union.
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