France faced potential political deadlock following Sunday’s elections, resulting in a hung parliament where a leftist alliance unexpectedly emerged on top, ahead of the far right, but without securing a majority.
The elections dealt a significant setback to Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN), which had been anticipated to perform strongly but ended up in third place according to projections by pollsters.
President Emmanuel Macron, who called for the snap elections to clarify the political landscape following recent electoral setbacks, found himself confronting a deeply fragmented parliament. This outcome is poised to diminish France’s influence within the European Union and internationally, while complicating efforts to advance domestic policies.
The election has left parliament divided among three major groups: the left, centrists, and the far right, each with divergent agendas and no established tradition of collaboration.
The leftist New Popular Front alliance, formed hastily before the elections and advocating measures such as price controls on essential goods and a wealth tax, expressed its intent to govern following the results.
Despite the celebration among left-wing supporters in Paris upon hearing the projections, with cheers and expressions of relief, the alliance faces challenges in achieving an absolute majority of 289 seats in the 577-seat assembly.
Official results were still being tallied, with projections suggesting the left could secure between 184-198 seats, Macron’s centrist alliance between 160-169 seats, and the RN and its allies between 135-143 seats.
The outcome prompted fluctuations in the euro’s value and raised concerns over potential political gridlock until at least the autumn of 2025.
As Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced his resignation while pledging to remain in a caretaker capacity, the focus turned to whether the leftist alliance could maintain unity and find common ground to govern effectively.
While the constitution does not mandate Macron to invite the leftist group to form a government, it represents the largest parliamentary bloc.
In the RN camp, disappointment was palpable despite making gains, with Le Pen positioning herself for future electoral challenges, including the 2027 presidential race.
The election underscored voter dissatisfaction with Macron’s administration over economic hardships, public service shortcomings, immigration policies, and security concerns, issues effectively leveraged by Le Pen and the RN.
The post-election landscape in France remains uncertain, with coalition-building and policy negotiations set to define the country’s political trajectory in the coming years.
