French President Emmanuel Macron is expected to lose his full majority in the National Assembly, the country’s most powerful branch of parliament.
His centrist ensemble alliance was supposed to win the most seats, but the projected hanging parliament was an obstacle for Mr Macron, whose reform plans could now be affected by a period of political uncertainty that may require power-sharing.
The left-wing coalition of Socialists and Greens, known as the New Ecological and Social People’s Union (NUPES) and led by 70-year-old Jean-Luc Melenchon, was on track to be the second largest union since the last round of voting.
People from all over France went to the polls on Sunday to decide the 577 members of the assembly, which is the lower house of parliament and is key to passing laws.
Image: Jean-Luc Melenchon leads a left-wing coalition
Macron, 44, needed 289 seats for an absolute majority. One forecast shows that his union is set to win 224. Another forecast shows a total of 210-250, while a third says it is 200-260.
According to one estimate, NUPES is expected to provide 149-200 seats.
Mr Melenchon told his supporters that the result was a “completely unexpected and unprecedented” situation.
Mr Macron was re-elected President in April, and a general majority in the Assembly today would give him the mandate to deliver on his campaign promises, which include tax cuts, raising France’s retirement age from 62 to 65 and increasing integration into the European Union. union.
But Macron could be immersed in a series of lengthy domestic policy talks at a time when the war in Ukraine has put external concerns at the center of attention.
His coalition could seek an alliance with the Conservatives or run a minority government, which will have to negotiate laws on a case-by-case basis.
Conservative Les Republicains and allies could win up to 100 seats, potentially making them kings.
And the far-right National Party of Marine Le Pen can also take up to 100 seats, forecasts showed – its best result in history.
“Emmanuel Macron’s arrogance, his contempt for the French … made him president of the minority,” said Jordan Bardella of the party.
At Macron’s camp, Gabriel Attal told TF1 TV: “No one has won,” while government spokeswoman Olivia Gregoire said the results were disappointing, but noted that the alliance would still be the largest group in parliament.
In the first vote last week, the left-wing opposition produced surprisingly strong results, sending concern among Macron’s allies.
The result today can be seen as unusual – after electing a president, French voters generally gave them a comfortable parliamentary majority a few weeks later, with Francois Mitterrand being a rare exception in 1988.
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