Explainer-in-brief: What Macron’s losses in parliament mean for France
French President Emmanuel Macron finds himself in an unenviable position this week, as he starts picking up the pieces after an extraordinary defeat in the parliamentary elections. With a slim majority of 245 seats, it won’t be easy for the government to introduce any groundbreaking policy.
Right-wing leader Marine Le Pen, who was defeated at the presidential election, gained 89 seats for her party. Yet the biggest challenge for Macron might come from the left. The alliance led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon now has 131 seats.
This parliament risks locking France into a political stalemate. French newspapers have deemed the country now “ungovernable”. Macron will be forced to adopt a collaborative approach, but there are issues – like Ukraine or migration – on which these parties are just too far apart.
Le Pen and Mélenchon are both in attack mode; let’s see how Macron fights back.