Paris: President Emmanuel Macron is expected to suffer a major blow, as his centrist alliance fails to maintain its absolute majority in the French parliament, following an unexpected rise in support for the far right in Sunday’s election.
The Macron-led party group, called Ensemble !, will win between 200 and 260 of the 577 seats in the final round of the legislative vote, according to the polls of five pollsters.
At least 289 seats are needed for the absolute majority.
French President Emmanuel Macron is leaving after Sunday’s vote. Credit:
With no party group close to an absolute majority, Macron may retain control of the executive branch, but will have difficulty passing legislation, jeopardizing much of his second-term agenda.
The second largest group in parliament appears to be headed for Nupes, a left-wing coalition led by Jean-Luc Melenchon, which will get between 149 and 200 seats, according to pollsters. The far-right national rally, led by Macron’s presidential rival Marine Le Pen, is expected to win 60 to 102 seats, while the center-right Republicans and their allies will win 60 to 80.
If confirmed, a suspended parliament would open a period of political uncertainty that would require a degree of power-sharing between parties that has not been experienced in France in recent decades, or otherwise would lead to a political paralysis and possibly even repeat elections.
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Macron’s ability to carry out a new reform of the eurozone’s second largest economy would depend on its ability to bring moderates out of its alliance to the right and left behind its legislative agenda.
In April, Macron, 44, became the first French president in two decades to win a second term, but presides over a deeply disillusioned and divided country where support for right-wing and left-wing populist parties has increased.