The people of France woke up to an uncertain political landscape after an election on Sunday saw the leftwing New Popular Front (NPF) alliance win the most votes but without winning an absolute majority.

In a stunning reversal of fortunes, the result was a blow to Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally (RN), which had been predicted to win the most seats but came in third, as well as President Emmanuel Macron, whose centrist Together alliance lost about 80 seats and came in second place. The country is staring at the prospect of a hung Parliament after none of these groups secured a majority.

According to the official results released early on Monday, all three main blocs fell far short of the 289 seats needed to control the 577-seat National Assembly, the more powerful of France’s two legislative chambers.

he results showed just over 180 seats for the New Popular Front leftist coalition, which placed first, ahead of Macron’s centrist alliance, with more than 160 seats. Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally and its allies were restricted to third place, although their more than 140 seats were still way ahead of the party’s previous best showing — 89 seats in 2022, AP reported.

A hung parliament is an unknown territory for modern France, which has no recent history of coalition governments. It also means Macron, who has three remaining years in office, will probably “cohabit” with a prime minister who does not share his political affiliations. (Financial Express)

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