PARIS — Even as left-wing supporters celebrated the unexpected defeat of France’s far right at the polls, attention shifted Monday to the daunting task of governing a deeply divided country navigating uncharted political waters.
An alliance of leftist parties emerged on top with over 180 seats, but fell short of the 289-seat majority in the National Assembly. President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Together coalition secured more than 160 seats, while the far-right National Rally and its allies came third with 143 seats. Pre-election polls had anticipated a far-right victory, potentially with an outright majority.
Sunday’s upset outcome now threatens prolonged political deadlock and signals “a new era” in French politics, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal remarked Sunday night. Macron, rejecting Attal’s resignation Monday, asked him to stay on temporarily to “ensure stability.” Just a week earlier, Macron’s party had suffered major losses, raising doubts about his political control. However, the unexpected final results have placed Macron back at the center of France’s political stage, albeit possibly temporarily.
With Macron still set to attend a NATO summit in Washington this week, the immediate task is deciding on the next prime minister. While tradition favors the largest political bloc — the left — Macron is not constitutionally bound to follow this convention. The fractured left forged an alliance before the election to block a far-right victory, driven in part by frustration with Macron. Yet forming a governing majority now likely requires at least some support from Macron’s allies.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the far-left France Unbowed party and spokesperson for the left-wing bloc, ruled out negotiating with Macron’s party. “We refuse to enter negotiations,” he declared Sunday, without outlining an alternative path to securing the necessary majority, which would require over 100 additional seats.
Olivier Faure, head of the center-left Socialist Party, announced Monday that the alliance will propose its prime ministerial candidate soon. However, their unexpected victory has surprised even leftist leaders, potentially deepening divisions or fracturing their fragile coalition during the search for a consensus candidate.
The fragmented National Assembly offers Macron room to maneuver, observed political scientist Pierre Mathiot, suggesting he might nominate a moderate as prime minister. However, Mathiot cautioned against assuming Macron’s election gamble has paid off, calling this an unprecedented situation in the Fifth Republic.
A broad coalition spanning the political spectrum could temporarily govern France, Mathiot noted, but risks bolstering Marine Le Pen’s far-right ambitions in 2027, contrary to Macron’s aims in calling the elections. Macron had argued for “a moment of clarity” at the ballot to avoid ceding power to the extreme right.
While Macron correctly predicted public resistance to the far right, the appeal of the left proved stronger than anticipated. The leftist alliance aims to lower the retirement age and increase spending on social welfare, environment, and healthcare. Their pre-election pact to present a single candidate per constituency disrupted Macron’s runoff strategy against the far right.
Deep fissures within the left have also reemerged. Critics view Mélenchon as too polarizing and his policies as unrealistic, risking clashes with the EU and provoking domestic discord. Outgoing finance minister Bruno Le Maire warned Monday that the leftist alliance’s spending plans could trigger a financial crisis, echoing concerns about Mélenchon’s leadership.
Despite these challenges, leftist leaders like Marine Tondelier of the Green party and Faure emphasized the need for realism and consensus-building in navigating post-election negotiations, hinting at possible cooperation with moderate lawmakers.
The new National Assembly convenes July 18, but speculation on its longevity began Sunday night on French television. Despite the far right’s disappointing showing, questions linger about its candidates’ readiness amid their rapid ascent from fewer than 10 seats two years ago.
“The National Rally remains ideologically cohesive unlike other parties,” Ouest-France editorialized Monday, noting the party’s newfound financial strength for future campaigns amid predictions of prolonged political stagnation benefiting the far right.
