A coalition of the French left parties, the New Popular Front, won the most seats in the legislative elections of France on Sunday but could not secure a majority, reported the Associated Press.
The left alliance has won 182 out of the 577-seat Assembly, with the Unbowed France party winning the most seats. French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance, Ensemble, came second with 163 seats.
The far-right National Rally led by Marine Le Pen was relegated to third place with 143 seats, although some opinion polls had predicted that it may win the most seats. Nevertheless, the party doubled its tally from the previous national election.
Since no coalition could cross the majority mark of 289 seats, France faces the prospect of a hung parliament. The situation is unprecedented for France as it does not have a history of two rival parties or blocs forming a coalition to govern the country.
Macron had on June 9 called for snap elections in the country after the far right had emerged victorious in the French voting for the European Parliament elections. Macron had said that the polls would provide clarification.
After the announcement of the polls, the left parties in the country formed the New Popular Front comprising the Socialists, Greens, Communists and the hard-left France Unbowed.
Macron had described the left coalition as extreme during the poll campaign, reported AP.
He had said that the left alliance’s economic programme of tens of billions of euros in public spending, partly financed by tax hikes for high earners and on wealth could be harmful for France, which is already being criticised by the European Union watchdogs for its debt.
Soon after the election results came out on Sunday, French Prime minister Gabriel Attal announced that he would resign on Monday morning. However, he added that he can stay as prime minister till the new government is formed.
“I know that, in the light of tonight’s results, a lot of French people feel uncertainty about the future because no majority has emerged,” Attal said, reported The Guardian. “Our country is in an unprecedented political situation and is preparing to welcome the world [at the Olympics] in a few weeks. I will stay in my role as long as duty requires.”
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