Marine Le Pen’s National Rally fell to third place despite a strong performance in the first round of voting, while the New Popular Front gained 182 seats, according to The Guardian.
It is followed by President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist Together alliance, which gained 143 seats to finish second.
The left alliance became the largest force in the French parliament after tactical voting held back national-oriented forces. They, along with allies, secured a lead in the first round but were ultimately held back by a massive tactical vote that prevented them from winning enough seats to form a government. Deputy of the French National Assembly, Nicolas Dupont-Aignan, stated on X:
In the first round, the French called for a big change by giving more than 1/3 of the votes to the patriots. Through an unnatural alliance, going from LFI to Macronie, amplified by propaganda, they run the risk of a globalist left-wing government. More than ever, patriots should learn the lesson that only a grand coalition can prevail.
However, the form of the future government remained uncertain, as no group won an absolute majority. Although the left-wing alliance won a majority of seats, it fell more than 100 seats short of an absolute majority. Despite a high turnout, estimated at around 67 per cent, no group secured an absolute majority of 289 seats to form a government.
France is now entering a period of unprecedented uncertainty about the shape of its future government and likely prime minister. Incumbent PM Gabriel Attal announced that he would tender his resignation to President Macron on Monday. But he also stated that he could stay in office for a short period if necessary, until a new government was formed.
“Tonight, a new era begins. 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. 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.”
Struggle for parliamentary seats
Macron has pledged to stay on as president. However, he did not speak publicly on Sunday night, addressing after the release of exit polls.
The struggle for a seat in the new parliament began immediately. Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the leftist La France Insoumise party, declared that “the president must invite the New Popular Front [left alliance] to govern.”
We will have a Prime Minister from the New Popular Front. We will be able to decide many things by decree. On the international level, we will have to agree to recognize the State of Palestine.
The outgoing Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin, for his part, stated that “no one can say they have won this legislative election, especially not Mr Mélenchon”. Meanwhile, Raphaël Glucksmann of Place Publique and the Socialist party, part of the left alliance, said it was necessary to open a dialogue.
“We’re ahead, but we’re in a divided parliament … so we’re going to have to act like grownups. We’re going to have to talk, to discuss, to engage in dialogue.”
Although the party came third, the results were historic for the RN. It is its biggest ever result in a French parliamentary election and an increase from the 88 seats it had when parliament was dissolved last month. However, it’s still far lower than the party expected after leading in the first round of voting last week.
Jordan Bardella, the RN president, claimed the parties uniting to stop him represented a “disgraceful alliance.” Le Pen, who intends to run for president from national-oriented parties in 2027, said their ascent to power would continue.
The tide is rising. It did not rise high enough this time, but it continues to rise and our victory has simply been deferred.
The RN’s limited result showed the success of the tactical voting pact made last week by the centrists and the left to deter the national-oriented. More than 200 candidates from leftist and centrist parties refused to participate in the second round last week to avoid splitting the vote against the RN. Those parties urged voters to choose any candidate against the RN in an attempt to prevent it from winning an absolute majority and forming a government.
External reaction
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on Sunday welcomed the “rejection of the far right” by France. He hailed the shock result in this week’s UK general election, in which the centre-left Labour Party secured a landslide victory, saying both countries “have said YES to progress and social progress and NO to going back on rights and freedoms.”
Meanwhile, US Senator Bernie Sanders also congratulated the French left for “taking on right-wing extremism and winning.”
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva congratulated the NFP, stating that he was “very happy” with the “demonstration of greatness and maturity” when leftist and centrist political forces united to prevent the election of national-oriented parties.
“This result, as well as the victory of the Labour party in the United Kingdom, reinforces the importance of dialogue between progressive segments in defence of democracy and social justice. They should serve as an inspiration for South America.”
Catalan leader and former president Carles Puigdemont also spoke out about Le Pen.
A memory for Marine Le Pen, who floated four days ago and said she would be merciless against me. Those who have been relentless have been the French voters against his party, who have collapsed him in a week. Good wind!
Marco Tarquinio, Italian journalist and former editor of Avvenire, supported the coalition’s victory.
“A clear word from France: the national-sovereign “ill-intentioned minorities” can be stopped. Just want it. Now we need to want the best we can for France and Europe. #LePen and #Bardella were defeated, and with them also the claim to dismantle the EU.”
Italy’s former PM and head of the 5-Star Movement (M5S), Giuseppe Conte, stated on X that France was demonstrating a “sign of democratic drive that today speaks to the whole of Europe.”
The great participation of the French people rewards the popular and progressive proposal of those who have never had doubts about peace, the defense of social rights and the protection of the most vulnerable. A sign of democratic drive that today speaks to the whole of Europe.
Future of France
Macron shocked his own government and party by calling snap elections on 9 June after his centrists suffered defeat to the national-oriented in European elections.
Now the only option for a majority appears to be a coalition around the idea of national unity. However, an alliance of the left with Macron’s supporters is possible in two cases. Either the president’s loyalists will accept secondary roles, or the New Popular Front will abandon its ambitions. However, Mélenchon has already stated:
The president must bow down and admit defeat. The Prime Minister must go. The president must call the New Popular Front to govern!
Another possible solution could be to unite Macron with the Republicans and the Socialists and the Greens. In this case, they would be able to secure half of the New Popular Front’s mandates. However, in such a scenario, it is not clear whether this coalition would have a majority.
Macron is also not obliged to change the cabinet following the results of the parliamentary elections. He may want to see if parliament can pass a vote of no confidence in his government. The chaos in France after the snap election could also be exacerbated by challenges to preparations for the Olympics scheduled to begin this month.
