French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced his resignation on Sunday, following his coalition’s failure to win a majority in the French parliament. The announcement came as a surprise, with the results of the second phase of snap elections revealing the Left-wing alliance called the New Popular Front (NFP) as the largest party in the parliament. Attal made the announcement at a press conference, stating his intention to tender his resignation to French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday.
Attal acknowledged the significance of his role, stating, “Being prime minister is the honor of my life.” He emphasized his commitment to republican tradition, stating, “In keeping with republican tradition, I will tender my resignation to the president of the Republic tomorrow morning.” He further explained that his alliance had failed to form a majority in the French National Assembly.
Despite his resignation, Attal expressed his willingness to remain in office if his resignation is rejected. “As long as duty requires,” he said, referencing the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. This suggests that Macron may reject Attal’s resignation and ask him to stay on until a new prime minister is appointed.
In his announcement, Attal declared the results as the “start of a new era.” He highlighted that France’s destiny would “more than ever” be determined by the Parliament. This statement underscores the significance of the NFP’s victory and the potential for a shift in political power dynamics.
The Elysée Palace has indicated that Macron will wait until the new Assemblée is “structured” before making any decisions regarding a new prime minister. This suggests that Macron is considering the implications of the election results and the potential for a new political landscape in France.
Macron’s call for snap elections last month stemmed from his alliance’s poor performance in the European Union Parliamentary elections. The second phase of voting saw the NFP secure 182 seats in the National Assembly, surpassing all other parties and making it the largest group in the French parliament. However, the NFP fell short of the 289 seats needed to form a government with an absolute majority.
Despite the NFP’s victory, Macron’s centrist Ensemble alliance made a significant recovery in the second phase of voting, winning 163 seats. Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) and its allies, who led in the first phase of the polls, experienced a decline in the second phase, winning only 143 seats. These results indicate a dynamic and unpredictable political landscape in France, with significant changes anticipated in the coming months.
