The left-wing alliance of the New Popular Front, which came first in the legislative elections with 182 seats, is holding meetings to try to agree on a candidate for prime minister and the broad outlines of a government programme. Meanwhile, Marine Le Pen has promised that her far-right National Rally party will confront any government "where France Unbowed and Greens have ministerial responsibilities". Read our liveblog to see how all the day's events unfolded.
This blog is no longer being updated. For more coverage of the 2024 French legislative elections, please click here.
Summary:
- France's biggest trade union federation called for nationwide protests on July 18, the day when the newly elected parliament is scheduled to convene, to demand that the left-wing coalition New Popular Front form a government.
- In an open letter addressed to the French on Wednesday, President Emmanuel Macron called on France's mainstream political forces to unite to form a centrist coalition since no single bloc won a majority in Sunday's elections.
- Centre-left Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure told France 2 television that Macron must “respect” the choice of French voters and nominate a prime minister from the leftist New Popular Front alliance.
Yesterday's key developments:
-
The far-right bloc of National Rally MPs arrived at the Palais Bourbon on Wednesday holding more seats than ever in the lower-house National Assembly.
- President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday published an open letter to the French calling for mainstream political forces to form a coalition after Sunday's elections resulted in a hung parliament.
- The New Popular Front reacted to Macron’s letter by saying that they, as the largest bloc in the new National Assembly with some 190 seats, are entitled to nominate a new prime minister.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP, AP and Reuters)
