France faces political deadlock after left-wing shock surge

France faces a run of complex negotiations to form a government after an unexpected left-wing surge thwarted Marine Le Pen’s far-right ambitions.

The New Popular Front (NFP) emerged as the leading force in the National Assembly following Sunday’s election. However, no single group has secured a majority, leaving possibilities such as an NFP minority government or a broad, unwieldy coalition on the table.

This outcome deals a significant blow to President Emmanuel Macron, leaving France’s position as the euro zone’s second-largest economy uncertain and potentially unstable, especially with the Olympic Games approaching. The fragmented parliament will likely weaken France’s influence within the European Union and complicate domestic policymaking.

The election results showed the left-wing coalition securing 182 seats, Macron’s centrist alliance with 168, and Le Pen’s National Rally and allies with 143, according to the interior ministry data cited by Le Monde.

“According to our institutions’ logic, Emmanuel Macron should now invite the New Popular Front to nominate a prime minister,” said Green leader Marine Tondelier, a potential candidate for the role.

“Will he or won’t he? As this president is always full of surprises, we’ll see,” she added in an interview on RTL radio.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced his intention to resign, though it remains unclear if President Macron will accept it immediately given the challenges of forming a new government.

“I will of course do my duties as long as it’s needed – it cannot be otherwise on the eve of a date (the Olympics) that is so important for our country,” Attal said.

Parties within the NFP, including the French Communist Party, hard-left France Unbowed, the Greens, and the Socialist Party, convened overnight to discuss their next steps. France Unbowed’s leader, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, argued that the new prime minister should come from the NFP. However, internal divisions make consensus on a premier challenging.

Centrist figures, such as former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe, said they were prepared to work towards a stable government but ruled out cooperation with Mélenchon’s France Unbowed, viewed by many centrists as extreme.

The euro declined following the announcement of the vote projections.