French prime minister Elisabeth Borne has said Emmanuel Macron’s loss in the lower house elections was a “risk” for the country.
Early projections by several polling firms predicted the French president’s La Republique en Marche would win only about 230 seats, beating all other parties and coalitions but a far cry from the 289 needed for an absolute majority, and far less than the 350 seats his centrist political brand won and drew into its camp in 2017.
The New Ecologic and Social People’s Union, a coalition of leftist, far left and green political parties hastily cobbled together by Jean-Luc Melenchon, came in second place with a projected 149 seats. The fiery Mr Melenchon was triumphant, lashing out at Mr Macron.
“The result is a risk for our country in view of the challenges we have to face,” Ms Borne said.
“We will be working from tomorrow towards forming a majority of action ... to guarantee stability for our country and carry out the necessary reforms.”
“I have trust in all of us and in our sense of responsibility,” Ms Borne added, telling voters: “We want to continue to protect you and ensure your security.”
Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party surged the most in the election, winning around 85 seats or 15 per cent of the 577-seat national assembly, a dramatic turn of fortunes from 2017, when she managed to win only eight seats.
The performance was the best for the French far-right movement established by Ms Le Pen’s father Jean-Marie since it was founded four decades ago.
Sunday’s parliamentary election may have little direct or immediate impact beyond France. Mr Macron defeated Ms Le Pen to win a second five-year term in April. Matters of foreign policy, national security and European affairs remain deeply enshrined within the purview of the presidency, with parliament playing far less of a role than it does in other Western democracies.
