The forecasts, based on individual results, show that Mr. Macron’s central whole! The alliance would win between 200 and 250 seats – far less than the 289 required to have a majority in the French parliament’s most powerful parliament. If the predictions are confirmed, the Nupes coalition, made up of the far left, the Socialists and the Greens, could make Mr Macron’s presidency less powerful, as the lower house of parliament has the final say in passing laws. Macron’s second term as president, which he won convincingly in April, looks set to be more of a test of his political prowess than his first. Without a majority he would still have the power to rule, but he would need to negotiate with his opponents to implement his key policies, including tax cuts and raising France’s retirement age from 62 to 65. The centrists could try to negotiate on a case-by-case basis with politicians from the center-left and the conservative party Les Republicains – with the aim of preventing opposition politicians from being large enough to reject the proposed measures. A special measure provided by the French Constitution for the adoption of a law without a vote could also be used sparingly. Sunday’s result could also prove important for Europe, as analysts predict the French leader will have to spend the rest of his second term focusing more on his domestic agenda than his foreign policy. It could mean the end of President Macron, the continental politician. Supporters of hard-line leader Jean-Luc Melenchon react to Nupes HQ show (AP) As the results began to be announced, Richard Ferrand, leader of the National Assembly and a close ally of the president, said he had been beaten. Christoph Kastaner, a former interior minister and another senior figure who shaped Macron’s first five-year term, also conceded defeat. A suspended parliament is unusual in France: voters traditionally use opinion polls in the weeks following the presidential election to give the country’s leader a comfortable parliamentary majority – with François Mitterrand in 1988 a rare exception. In another unusual view of Sunday’s vote, Marin Le Pen’s far-right party was projected to win up to 100 seats – the highest score ever. Les Republicains and allies could also receive up to 100, which would give them the opportunity to support the president and increase their influence in the French government. Proponents of her case have been working to make the actual transcript of this statement available online. In last week’s first round of voting, the coalition made a surprisingly strong appearance. Macron addresses voters before heading to Ukraine on Tuesday (AP) Shocked by the preliminary results, Mr Macron made a strong choreographic appeal to voters earlier this week before a trip to Ukraine, warning that a suspended parliament would put the nation in danger. “In these difficult times, the choice you will make this Sunday is more critical than ever,” he said. “Nothing could be worse than adding French disorder to world disorder.” Some voters agreed and opposed the election of candidates at the political extremes. Others argued that the French system, which gives broad power to the president, should give more power to the multi-party parliament. However, these parliamentary elections were once again determined by the apathy of the voters. Only 38 percent of the French electorate had voted by 5pm, up from 42 percent in 2017.
