France’s President Emmanuel Macron has accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal after the presidential party’s election defeat, but the cabinet will continue as is for the meantime, French media reported.
Elysee said in a press release:
For this period to end as soon as possible, it is up to the Republican forces to work together to build unity around projects and actions in the service of the French people.
The resigned government will remain in office until a new cabinet is appointed following early elections. According to experts, it will not be able to introduce new laws in parliament or other major changes. It will, however, have responsibility for the country’s hosting of the Olympic Games.
Replacing Elisabeth Borne, Attal was appointed as prime minister on January 9 at the age of 34, becoming the youngest person to hold the post in the history of the Fifth Republic.
Attal submitted his resignation to Macron on July 8, after the ruling party failed to win a majority in snap legislative elections. However, the president asked him to stay in office “for the moment” to ensure stability in the country.
The elected deputies will choose the speaker of the new National Assembly on Thursday. Under French electoral law, sitting ministers cannot vote. But after accepting the resignation, Attal and his ministers who were elected deputies will be able to vote in the speaker’s election.
The alliance that won the legislative elections, the New Popular Front (FNP), has not yet been able to propose a candidate for the next prime minister. Macron’s decision is seen as an attempt to win votes for a centrist or right-wing speaker of the National Assembly.
On July 8, the New Popular Front (NFP) coalition of left-wing parties won France’s parliamentary elections, taking 182 seats in the National Assembly. The presidential coalition Together won 168 seats, while the right-wing coalition led by Marine Le Pen’s Rassemblement Nationale won 143 seats.
The French President announced the dissolution of the National Assembly on June 9 and called for new legislative elections after his Renaissance party’s coalition suffered a heavy defeat in the European Parliament elections.
