Left-wing alliance set to win France elections; but no absolute majority

PARIS: Results of the latest exit polls indicate that the left-wing parties’ alliance, the New Popular Front (NFP), wins the second round of France’s legislative elections which concluded late Sunday, and no party would get the absolute majority, according to a report by the country’s BFM TV.

According to the exit polls, the NFP is expected to hold between 175 and 205 seats in the National Assembly, and French President Emmanuel Macron’s coalition comes in second with the possibility of getting 150 to 175 seats, while the far-right wing party and its allies would only obtain 115 to 150 seats.

France elections: far-right unlikely to win majority in second round

No party would get the absolute majority of 289 seats in the 577-member National Assembly.

After counting all the votes, official provisional results are expected to be published on Monday by the French Interior Ministry.

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced Sunday night that he would submit his resignation to Macron on Monday, following the defeat of Macron’s centrist coalition in the legislative elections.

“This evening, the political group that I represented in this campaign, has achieved three times more than the seats predicted in the past weeks, but does not have a majority,” Attal said in a televised speech.

“Being faithful to the republican tradition and in accordance with my principles, I will submit my resignation tomorrow morning to the President of the Republic,” he said.

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Saying that the French people may feel a form of “uncertainty” about the future following the results of the legislative elections, Attal stressed that he would “obviously” assume his role as prime minister for as long as it requires, given that France is to hold the Olympics Games in three weeks.

Although Attal would submit his resignation to Macron on Monday, the latter doesn’t have to accept it immediately.

Since no political group has won the absolute majority in the National Assembly, there are many possibilities for the future prime minister. The French presidential office told news media that Macron is closely watching the final results of each constituency, and he will wait until the “composition” of the new National Assembly is finally determined before making “necessary decisions”.

According to reports, the new National Assembly will hold its first plenary session on July 18 to vote for the Speaker.

France begins voting in election that could hand power to far right

As the French ruling party received far less votes than the far-right party in the European Parliament elections held in early June, Macron announced the dissolution of the National Assembly and the holding of the snap legislative elections.

The French parliamentary election, or the legislative election, matters the proportion of seats held by each party in the National Assembly, which will further affect the appointment of the new prime minister, the composition of the new government and its future governance direction.