Closing summary
This blog is closing but we’ll restart in a few hours to bring you all the latest developments as France wakes up to a new political landscape. In the meantime here are the latest developments:
The leftwing NFP alliance became the biggest force in the French parliament but failed to win an outright majority in a surprise result that saw the far right National Rally (RN) drop to third place. The NFP won 182 seats in the 577-seat parliament, President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance won 163 seats and the RN won 143 seats.
Prime minister Gabriel Attal said he would hand in his resignation to president Macron on Monday morning, but added that he could stay in place for the short term, if required, while a new government was formed. “Tonight, a new era begins,” he said, adding that France’s destiny would play out “more than ever in parliament”.
The result means a hung parliament in a country not used to coalition government and which in modern times has always had a dominant party in parliament. Jockeying for the position of prime minister began immediately but there is no clear candidate.
Far right leader Marine Le Pen, who intends to run for president for the far right in 2027, said the far right’s rise to power would continue. She said: “The tide is rising. It did not rise high enough this time, but it continues to rise and our victory has simply been deferred.”
RN leader Jordan Bardella called the cooperation between anti-RN forces a “disgraceful alliance” that would paralyse France.
Macron can choose who he wants as prime minister but many within his alliance have said they will not work with France Unbowed, the hard left party led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon which is the largest in the NFP alliance. The president could ask a Socialist or Greens MP but they may not be willing. A centrist candidate could also be an unpopular choice as Macron’s alliance lost so many seats in the election.
Mélenchon said Macron “must invite the New Popular Front to govern”. “The will of the people must be strictly respected,” he said.
Raphael Glucksmann, from the Socialist party and part of the NFP, urged his alliance partners to act like “grown-ups”. “We’re ahead, but we’re in a divided parliament,” he said. “We’re going to have to talk, to discuss, to engage in dialogue.”
What do the papers say?
Here are some of the headlines from the French and UK media:
The Guardian says “Surprise surge for left pushes French far right into third”
Monday's GUARDIAN: Surprise surge for left pushes French far right into third place#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/xwcfFkCey7
— Jack Surfleet (@jacksurfleet) July 7, 2024
Le Figaro writes “The RN fails, the left imposes itself on Macron”
La Une du «Figaro» du lundi 8 juillet : «Le RN en échec, la gauche s'impose à Macron»
— Le Figaro (@Le_Figaro) July 7, 2024
→ https://t.co/74WMGRt3y3 pic.twitter.com/JyAMvmOi2G
La Libération says “C’est OUF”, meaning “phew” or “madness”:
🔴 C'est OUF : voici la une de @libe lundi, après la victoire surprise du Nouveau Front populaire aux législatives. pic.twitter.com/dc9Z7AysSi
— Libération (@libe) July 7, 2024
The Times says “Hard-left leader claims victory in French election shock”:
Monday's TIMES: Homes on green belt in new dash for growth#TomorrowsPapersToday pic.twitter.com/5dDM6usss8
— Jack Surfleet (@jacksurfleet) July 7, 2024
The Financial Times says “France’s leftist alliance on track to halt rise of Le Pen’s RN, polls show”.
Just published: front page of the Financial Times, UK edition, Monday 8 July https://t.co/aMeqJzGYtF pic.twitter.com/hfdT0K6t4l
— Financial Times (@FT) July 7, 2024
