France's Leftist Coalition Urges Macron to Hand Over Government Formation

The New Popular Front of France, composed of leftist parties and organizations, has called on Emmanuel Macron, the President of the country, to ask this coalition to form the new government. According to the Associated Press, the demand from the New Popular Front of France, which gained the most parliamentary seats following 'surprising results', was announced on Tuesday, July 9. This coalition does not have the parliamentary majority necessary to form a government. Following this coalition, Macron's centrist allies and the far-right National Rally party secured the most parliamentary seats in France. The request from the New Popular Front was announced a day after Emmanuel Macron asked Gabriel Attal, the resigning Prime Minister of the country, to remain in his position with less than three weeks until the start of the Paris Olympic Games. Meanwhile, the three main parties of the New Popular Front; the far-left, Socialists, and Greens, have begun negotiations to select a candidate for the premiership from this coalition. In this regard, Johanna Roland, the chief negotiator of the Socialist Party, suggested that the New Popular Front could collaborate with the centrist left members of Macron's coalition to form a government. This coalition, in a statement, urged the President of France to 'immediately turn to the new popular front and allow it to form a government.' The statement noted that the 'long-term retention' of Gabriel Attal could be seen as an 'attempt to erase the election results.' The New Popular Front warned Emmanuel Macron against what it termed 'an attempt to hijack state institutions,' adding: 'If the President continues to ignore the results, it will be tantamount to betrayal of the constitution and a coup against democracy.' The far-right party has been prevented from coming to power in France, but the prospect of forming a government remains unclear.