“I can not ignore the fractures, the deep divisions that run through our country and that are reflected in the composition of the new [National] “Assembly,” he said. French voters elected a parliament without an absolute majority on Sunday for the first time in decades, depriving Macron of the legislative support he had for his first term. The president’s party remains the largest bloc, but now demands the cooperation of other political groups to pass legislation. Citing recent experiences in Germany and Italy, Macron said “no political force can legislate on its own.” “We must learn collectively to govern and legislate differently,” he added. After meeting with the leaders of the opposition political blocs, Macron said that the “majority” had expressed the desire to avoid a “bloc” in the National Assembly. The whole of Macron! The bloc won 245 seats on Sunday, less than the 289 seats required for an absolute majority in the French National Assembly. The left-wing coalition New Ecological and Social Popular Union (NUPES), a far-left coalition led by far-left leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon, came in second with 131 seats, according to the Interior Ministry. At the other end of the spectrum, Marin Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party has meanwhile won a record 89 seats, ranking third. Macron, who won a second term in the presidential election in April, will become the first incumbent French president without a parliamentary majority since the 2000 election reform. He is now entering an unknown territory of negotiation and compromise after five years of unquestionable control. His coalition is expected to try to form alliances with other political parties, including the traditional right-wing coalition, which came in fourth on Sunday. France could be politically paralyzed if it fails to form alliances. But it could also mean that Macron will have a hard time passing his legislative agenda, including an unpopular plan to raise the retirement age, along with plans for deeper integration into the European Union.
