French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced that he will submit his resignation to President Emmanuel Macron on Monday morning following Sunday’s second round of parliamentary elections in which the New Popular Front (NFP) coalition unexpectedly won the most seats in parliament.
“Faithful to Republican tradition and following my principles, I will submit my resignation tomorrow morning to the President of the Republic,” Attal wrote in a social media post yesterday.
He said he will continue his duties until a successor is appointed, especially given the imminent Paris Olympics.
The announcement follows the initial projection of seats in France’s National Assembly. The NFP coalition secured the largest number of seats, with over 180. The Macron centrist alliance won over 160 seats, while the far right National Rally (RN) garnered a significant 140+. None of the blocs, however, surpassed the 289 seats required for an absolute majority in France’s 577-seat National Assembly.
The election results mark a significant shift in French politics, according to French media. The RN, led by Jordan Bardella, made significant gains but fell short of its predicted results. Bardella had criticized Macron for leading France into “uncertainty and instability.”
Supporters of the NFP celebrated their unexpected victory, with Socialist leader Olivier Faure promising to repeal Macron’s controversial pension reforms.
A number of candidates had withdrawn their election bids prior to round two to consolidate votes against RN candidates.