Macron’s party loses absolute majority
French President Emmanuel Macron’s party has lost its absolute majority in parliament after the second round of legislative elections on Sunday.
According to the Interior Ministry, Macron’s Ensemble! (Together) coalition won 245 seats in the 577-seat National Assembly, the lower house of parliament.
Jean-Luc Melenchon’s left-wing NUPES bloc came in second with 133 seats, while the right-wing National Rally secured 89 seats.
Macron’s allies remain the largest group in parliament, but they now need the help of another party to push through laws.
Macron was re-elected in April, beating the National Rally’s Marine Le Pen in a runoff.
The president highlighted the importance of retaining an absolute majority before the second round of the vote. “Nothing would be worse than losing ourselves in immobility, blockings and posturing,” he said, as quoted by France Info radio.
