France is heading for a parliamentary stalemate after none of the political parties that took part in Sunday’s second round of parliamentary elections managed to secure an absolute majority. The situation could leave the country in a political stalemate that will last for months.
A hastily assembled coalition of left-wing parties, the New Popular Front (NFP), unexpectedly became the largest bloc, winning 182 seats in the 577-seat French parliament. Voters failed to secure a majority for the far right, which had dominated the first round of parliamentary elections a week earlier.
President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance won 163 seats, while the far-right Rassemblement National party, led by Marine Le Pen, came in third with 143 seats.
