Macron Rejects PM’s Resignation Amidst Election Turmoil
President Emmanuel Macron has refused the resignation of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal on Monday, urging him to remain temporarily as head of the government following chaotic election results that have left France in political limbo.
Excel Magazine International observes the recent elections saw French voters split the legislature among the left, center, and far right, resulting in no faction securing the majority needed to form a government. Sunday’s vote has increased the risk of paralysis for the European Union’s second-largest economy.
Macron had hoped that snap elections would provide France with a “moment of clarification,” but the results showed the opposite, just weeks before the start of the Paris Olympics, when the country will be under international scrutiny.
The French stock market fell at opening but quickly recovered, likely due to the absence of an outright victory for either the far right or the leftist coalition.
Prime Minister Attal, who had offered his resignation on Monday morning, agreed to stay on at Macron’s request to “ensure the stability of the country.” The meeting with Macron and his top political allies at the presidential palace lasted about 90 minutes.
Attal expressed disagreement with Macron’s decision to call the snap elections. The results of the two rounds of voting have left no clear path to forming a government for the leftist coalition, Macron’s centrist alliance, or the far right.
Newly elected and returning lawmakers are expected to gather at the National Assembly to begin earnest negotiations. Meanwhile, Macron is set to leave midweek for a NATO summit in Washington.
Political deadlock in France could have significant implications for the war in Ukraine, global diplomacy, and Europe’s economic stability. However, at least one leader found relief in the results.
“In Paris, enthusiasm; in Moscow, disappointment; in Kyiv, relief. Enough to be happy in Warsaw,” Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, a former European Union Council head, wrote late Sunday on X.
According to official results released early Monday, all three main blocs fell far short of the 289 seats needed to control the 577-seat National Assembly, the more powerful of France’s two legislative chambers.
The New Popular Front leftist coalition secured just over 180 seats, placing first, ahead of Macron’s centrist alliance, which garnered more than 160 seats. Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally and its allies secured third place with over 140 seats, a significant improvement from their previous best showing of 89 seats in 2022.
Macron has three years remaining in his presidential term.
Rather than rallying behind Macron as he’d hoped, millions used the vote to express their frustration over issues such as inflation, crime, immigration, and Macron’s governing style.
The New Popular Front’s leaders have immediately pushed for the opportunity to form a government and propose a prime minister. Their agenda includes reversing many of Macron’s reforms, embarking on significant public spending, and adopting a tougher stance against Israel due to its conflict with Hamas. However, it remains unclear who within the left could lead the government without alienating crucial allies.
“We need someone who offers consensus,” said Olivier Faure, head of the Socialist Party, which joined the leftist coalition and was still determining its seat count on Monday.
Macron has warned that the left’s economic program, which includes substantial public spending financed by wealth taxes and higher taxes for high earners, could be disastrous for France, already criticized by EU watchdogs for its debt.
A hung parliament is unprecedented in modern France, leading to mixed reactions of relief and apprehension among the populace.
“What pollsters and the press were telling us made me very nervous, so it’s a huge relief. Big expectations as well,” said Nadine Dupuis, a 60-year-old legal secretary in Paris. “What’s going to happen? How are they going to govern this country?”
The political agreement between the left and center to block the National Rally was largely successful. Many voters prioritized preventing the far right from gaining power over supporting their usual political camps.
“Disappointed, disappointed,” said far-right supporter Luc Doumont, 66. “Well, happy to see our progression, because for the past few years we’ve been doing better.”
National Rally leader Le Pen, who is expected to make a fourth run for the French presidency in 2027, said the elections laid the groundwork for “the victory of tomorrow.”
The electoral campaign was marred by racism, antisemitism, Russian disinformation campaigns, and reports of over 50 candidates being physically attacked — an unusual occurrence for France.
Unlike other European countries more accustomed to coalition governments, France lacks a tradition of lawmakers from rival political camps coming together to form a majority. Additionally, France’s centralized system means many decisions are made in Paris, unlike the more decentralized systems seen elsewhere in Europe.
