A leftist coalition formed to prevent the far-right from gaining power has secured the largest number of parliamentary seats in the recent runoff elections in France, reports said.
As reported by AP, President Emmanuel Macron's centrist alliance came second, while the far-right came in third. However, no single party or coalition has achieved a majority in parliament. Despite a significant increase in parliamentary seats, the far-right fell short of expectations.
With the leftist coalition securing at least 181 seats, Macron's centrists with over 160 seats, and Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally holding 143 seats after leading initially, no clear majority has emerged.
The outcome of these elections in France, a nation with nuclear capabilities, holds considerable implications for the ongoing war in Ukraine, global diplomacy, and the economic stability of Europe.
The unpopular Macron will have to form alliances to run the government.
Meanwhile, President Emmanuel Macron’s office says he will “wait for the new National Assembly to organise itself” before making any decisions on the new government.
The National Assembly is scheduled to gather in full session for the first time on July 18. The statement says Macron will ensure the “sovereign choice of the French people will be respected.”
Surprise polling projections say a coalition on the left that came together to try to keep the far right from power has won the most parliamentary seats, with Macron's alliance second and the far-right National Rally third, AP reported.
The president of France’s far-right National Rally has asserted significant advancements for the party, despite unexpected projections indicating it did not meet high initial expectations.
Jordan Bardella also blamed President Emmanuel Macron for “pushing France into uncertainty and instability.”
In a solemn address following the second-round vote, Bardella criticised the political strategies that resulted in the National Rally failing to meet its anticipated goals. A record number of candidates who had qualified for the runoff withdrew to consolidate opposition support against National Rally candidates, thereby boosting the chances of defeating them.
Despite this, the anti-immigration, nationalist party still achieved a historic increase in its parliamentary seat count, as projected by polling data. However, no single party secured a majority in parliament.
Leftist leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon characterised the unexpected legislative election results as a source of "great relief" for a majority of French citizens.
Additionally, he has called for the resignation of the prime minister. Mélenchon emerged as a prominent figure among leftist leaders who united unexpectedly before the two-round elections. According to polling projections, the leftist coalition leads, with President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance following closely, and the far-right in third place.
Opposition parties rushed to strike agreements before Sunday's second round of voting to prevent Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally from achieving a sweeping victory in the legislative elections. Le Pen had indicated her party would only lead the government if they secured an absolute majority or something close to it.
A record number of candidates who had qualified for the second round, representing the left-wing alliance of the New Popular Front and President Emmanuel Macron’s weakened centrists, withdrew their candidacies. Their aim was to consolidate support behind candidates with the best chance of defeating opponents from the National Rally.
According to a tally by French newspaper Le Monde, a total of 218 candidates who were slated for the second round withdrew from the race. Among these, 130 were from the left-wing alliance and 82 were from Macron's centrist alliance, Ensemble.
(With inputs from AP)
