French President Emmanuel Macron has asked parliament to negotiate a broad coalition of the country’s “republican institutions.” He is hoping to end a deadlock after an inconclusive snap election.
“I am asking all political forces who recognize themselves in the republican institutions, the rule of law, parliamentary democracy, a European orientation and the defense of France’s independence, to start a sincere and fair dialogue to build a solid, and by definition pluralist, majority,” Macron said.
The arrangement seemed created to exclude Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally, or RN, party. It also implicitly does not include far-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon’s France Unbowed, or LFI. LFI makes up a large amount of the left-wing New Popular Front, or NFP, alliance.
The NFP had the most seats in the National Assembly on Wednesday. Macron’s centrist group came in second, and the RN came in third.
While it would be customary for Macron to ask the largest parliamentary group to form the government, he is not obligated to do so by the constitution.
“The best he [Macron] can do for the country at this stage is to allow the group that won the most seats, the New Popular Front, to govern. Any other machinations would be truly problematic and dangerous for democracy,” said NFP member Eric Coquerel.
The government of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal will stay in power as the Olympics approach in Paris. Attal’s centrist group in parliament is seeking his successor.
With the largest bloc in the National Assembly, French leftists want to propose a new prime minister.
“The president refuses to recognize the results of the ballot box, which put the New Popular Front ahead in terms of votes and of seats,” Melenchon said in a social media post.
Until releasing his letter on Wednesday, Macron had stayed quiet since the election and was away for a NATO summit.
The broad leftist NFP alliance has said it will suggest a prime minister candidate by the week’s end. Any contender must face a confidence vote by parliament.
