French president urges major parties to form coalition after snap polls

By Nur Asena Erturk

The French president on Wednesday urged major political parties to form a coalition following last week’s snap parliamentary elections in which none secured an outright majority.

Currently in Washington to attend the NATO Summit, Emmanuel Macron in a letter published by several French media outlets said the elections oblige the “republican forces” to form a governing coalition.

He asked the political forces to “engage in a sincere and loyal dialogue to build a solid majority, necessarily plural.”

The president said only then he would designate a new prime minister, which requires to give “a little time to the political forces to build compromises with serenity and mutual respect.”

Macron stressed that the outgoing government would continue its functions until then.

The president on Monday rejected outgoing Prime Minister Gabriel Attal’s resignation and asked him to stay “for now” until stability is ensured in the country, a move criticized by left-wing parties, who won the most seats in the elections.

None of the three main blocs -- the far right, center, and left -- secured an absolute majority to govern the country in the first round on June 30 and the second on July 7.

The left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) won 182 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly. A majority requires 289 lawmakers.

Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of France Unbowed, has called for the NFP to be given the chance to name its own prime minister. The left alliance is working on names for the prime minister, but has not yet agreed on the pick.

The centrist alliance Together for the Republic, backed by Macron, finished second with over 160 seats, while Marine Le Pen's far-right National Front (RN) party got over 140.