Over a photo of a pensive Emmanuel Macron, the headline on the front of one French tabloid this morning asks: ‘And now, we do what?’
Good question. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal will tender his resignation to the president this morning, although it is by no means certain it will be accepted. Macron could ask him to stay in his post while a government is formed and the Olympics run their course. That may take time given that no party emerged from Sunday’s second round of voting as dominant.
In terms of seats won, no single party enjoyed a better night than the National Rally
The left-wing coalition of Socialists, Communists, Greens and far-left figures won the most seats in the 577-seat National Assembly. In a characteristically fiery speech on Sunday evening, Jean-Luc Melenchon, the left’s most charismatic and influential politician, made it clear he expects his la France Insoumise party to be part of the government.
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