French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that the appointment of a new Prime Minister will be delayed until after the Paris Olympic Games. This decision comes following the recent snap elections that left the National Assembly without a clear majority.
Macron emphasized the importance of focusing on the Olympics until mid-August before addressing the political situation. He stated, “From then… it will be my responsibility to name a prime minister and entrust them with the task of forming a government, with the broadest backing possible.”
The left-wing NFP alliance, which emerged as the largest grouping in the National Assembly with 193 seats, had put forward Lucie Castets, a senior civil servant, as their candidate for Prime Minister. However, Macron has yet to endorse any candidate.
The current political impasse follows Macron’s surprise dissolution of parliament and the subsequent snap elections, which resulted in no single party or alliance securing a majority. The NFP alliance, Macron’s centrists, and the far-right National Rally hold 193, 164, and 143 seats respectively.
Macron stressed the need for a broad coalition to pass reforms and move the country forward, urging parties to work out compromises. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and his ministers will remain in place in a caretaker capacity.
Left-wing leaders have criticized Macron’s decision, accusing him of trying to impose his own agenda and ignoring the election results. Jean-Luc Melenchon of the France Unbowed party and Olivier Faure of the Socialist Party both expressed their discontent with Macron’s approach.
