Paris (The Times Groupe)- French President Emmanuel Macron suffered a major setback on Sunday as his political coalition failed to win an absolute majority in the legislative elections, putting the majority at risk of forming alliances with other parties.
According to multiple exit polls, Macron’s Ensemble (Together) alliance won the second round but fell short of the 289 seats needed to form a majority in parliament.
Polling firm Elabe estimates Macron’s camp will win between 205 and 235 seats in the National Assembly, while France 24 news predicts 224 seats.
Previously, former President Francois Mitterrand found himself in a similar situation in 1998, winning fewer legislative seats.
In a BFMTV news report, former government spokesperson and minister of public accounts Gabriel Attal summarized the results as “far from what we hoped for.”
As a result of the low numbers, Macron is now forced to assemble a majority by forming an alliance with other parties, ensuring that his government’s second-term agenda will continue with a parliamentary majority.
Most voters wanted a left-leaning government and a left-wing prime minister.
NUPES (New Ecological and Social Popular Union), led by Jean-Luc Melenchon, is expected to win between 149 and 190 seats against Macron’s coalition.
BFMTV reported that Melenchon, who came in third during the presidential finals, said: “We have achieved our political objective … to bring down the arrogant one who had twisted the arm of the whole country.”
Marine Le Pen‘s National Rally is expected to win 75 to 95 seats, a huge increase from the eight seats it currently holds in the national assembly.
The report noted that she was pleased with the historic result of her party’s candidates forming the largest group of lawmakers in parliament since the party was founded in the 1970s.
Approximately 60-70 seats are expected to be won by Les Republicains, a socialist party that did poorly in the recently concluded presidential elections.