France: Stunning surprise victory in snap elections

The presentation of the joint programme of the New Popular Front at the Maison de la Chimie in Paris. — Photo: Shutterstock / Antonin Albert

In a stunning turn of events, France's New Popular Front (NFP) has secured the largest number of seats in snap parliamentary elections, surpassing both President Emmanuel Macron's centrist coalition and the far-right National Rally (RN).

The NFP, a broad leftist alliance, won an estimated 177-192 seats out of 577 in the National Assembly. Macron's Ensemble coalition and the RN finished second and third, respectively. However, no party achieved an absolute majority of 289 seats, potentially leading to political gridlock.

The election results mark a significant shift in French politics. Macron called for snap elections following his coalition's poor performance in recent European elections, but the gamble appears to have backfired.

The NFP, comprising France Unbowed, Socialists, Greens, and Communists, united quickly around a common platform promising increased social spending and economic reforms. Their success is attributed partly to strategic voting against the far-right RN.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a key figure in the NFP, has called on Macron to allow the left-wing coalition to form a government. However, the lack of an absolute majority complicates the path forward.

Several challenges lie ahead. Selecting a prime minister will be difficult, as the NFP has not named a candidate and internal divisions are apparent. Implementing reforms will be challenging without a clear majority, and the fragmented parliament could lead to years of political deadlock.

While the RN finished third, they still gained their largest-ever number of seats, positioning themselves for future elections.

The coming weeks will be crucial as France adjusts to this new reality. The ability of parties to negotiate, form alliances, and find common ground will be key to forming a functional government. Meanwhile, the RN's unprecedented gains, despite finishing third, signal a continuing shift in French politics that could have long-term implications for future elections.

* France24 contributed to this report.