French Parliamentary Elections: Macron's Alliance Falls Short of Majority

Macron now enters his 2nd presidential term with uncertainty over how his domestic policies will be enacted into law

Not even two months after being re-elected as president, Emmanuel Macron of France has lost power in the country's National Assembly after a strong performance by the left and the far right.

(Photo: Twitter/@EmmanuelMacron)

Not even two months after being re-elected as president, Emmanuel Macron of France has lost power in the country's National Assembly after a strong performance by the left and the far-right in the parliamentary elections held on 12 and 19 June 2022.

After five years of having complete control of the French parliament, the French president now enters his second term with uncertainty over how domestic policies, many of which he himself promised during his campaign, will be enacted into law.

"For Mr Macron these five years will be all about negotiations and parliamentary compromise," said Dominique Rousseau, professor of constitutional law, as reported by the BBC.

Far-Left and Far-Right Gain

Macron's coalition, known as Ensemble, managed to win 245 seats, well short of the 289 needed for a majority.

Far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, whose alliance (called Nupes) consisting of the communists and the greens, won 131 seats.

On the other hand, Marine Le Pen and her far-right National Rally party won 89 seats. It had won only eight in the last parliamentary election.

Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne, who was recently appointed by Macron, said that the situation was unprecedented.

"This situation represents a risk for our country, given the risks we're facing nationally and internationally. We will work as of tomorrow to build a working majority," she was quoted as saying by the BBC.

(With inputs from the BBC and The Guardian.)