PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and his government on Tuesday, as announced by the presidency. This move comes in the wake of an inconclusive snap election earlier this month, leaving French politics in a state of deadlock with no clear successor to Attal.
The Elysee Palace confirmed that the outgoing premier and his team would continue to manage day-to-day affairs until a new government is established. “For this period to come to an end as quickly as possible, it is up to republican forces to work together to build unity,” the statement read, urging mainstream political parties, but excluding the far right and hard left, to collaborate.
The recent snap election, called by Macron to “clarify” the political landscape, did not yield a decisive outcome. During the government’s first cabinet meeting since the election, Macron announced his plan for Attal to remain in his role “for some weeks,” likely until after the Paris Olympics, which commence on July 26. This interim period aims to give political parties more time to form a governing coalition following the July 7 election runoff, which left the lower house without an overall majority.
The New Popular Front (NFP), a broad alliance consisting of Socialists, Communists, Greens, and the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI), secured the most seats, with 193 in the 577-strong lower chamber. Macron’s allies came in second with 164 seats, while the far-right National Rally (RN) obtained 143 seats. The NFP alliance has struggled to agree on a consensus candidate for prime minister due to internal conflicts, particularly between the LFI and the more moderate Socialists.
Over the weekend, the Socialists blocked the candidacy of Huguette Bello, a former communist member of parliament and president of the regional council in France’s overseas territory La Reunion, who had support from other left-wing parties. Conversely, the LFI rejected Laurence Tubiana, an economist and climate specialist without political affiliation, backed by the Socialists, Communists, and Green party. These disagreements have drawn criticism from within the NFP, with leftist lawmaker Francois Ruffin calling the infighting “shameful” and Green MP Sandrine Rousseau expressing her frustration.
Amid the political turmoil, Gabriel Attal was elected as the leader of his party’s National Assembly contingent on Saturday. Eyeing his future outside the government, Attal has expressed his intention to “contribute to the emergence of a majority concerning projects and ideas.” Observers suggest that both Macron and Attal are seeking to establish a right-of-centre majority in parliament, excluding both the LFI and the far-right RN from any new coalition.
Macron emphasized the responsibility of his allies to propose “a majority coalition or a wide-ranging legislative pact” to preserve the government’s “economic achievements” and promote “social justice.” Following their resignation, Attal and other cabinet members will now take their seats in parliament and participate in coalition-building efforts.
Parliament is set to reconvene on Thursday to fill key positions, including the National Assembly speaker job. Despite apparent tensions between Macron and Attal, stemming from the electoral defeat only six months after Attal’s appointment as France’s youngest ever head of government at 34, there was no visible discord during the Tuesday cabinet meeting, according to participants.
With nearly three years remaining in his presidency before the 2027 elections, Macron faces the challenge of navigating this political impasse, while far-right leader Marine Le Pen prepares for another bid for power.
