PARIS (Reuters) – Here are the reactions to Sunday’s disappointing results in France’s parliamentary elections. The country is on the verge of a hung parliament, with the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) set to take the lead, ahead of President Macron’s centrist and far-right National Rally (RN).
Prime Minister Gabriel Attal
“Tonight, because of the strength of our determination and our values, the (political) extremes do not have an absolute majority. We (the centrists) have three times the number of MPs we predicted at the start of this campaign.
“It has been the honor of my life to serve as Prime Minister. Tonight the political group I represent is no longer in the majority and tomorrow morning I will submit my resignation to the President.”
JORDAN BARDELLA, far-right National Rally party
“I solemnly say tonight that depriving millions of French people of the possibility of putting their ideas into power will never be a viable destiny for France.
“Tonight, Macron deliberately tried to paralyze our institutions, not only pushing the country into uncertainty and instability, but depriving the French people of any response to their daily difficulties in the coming months.
“In the midst of a purchasing power crisis, in which insecurity and chaos have hit the country hard, France has been deprived of a majority, a government to act and therefore a clear path to turning France around.”
Mélenchon, French far-left Insurgent Party
“The will of the people must be strictly respected. No arrangement is acceptable. The failure of the president and his coalition is clear. The president must accept his failure.
“The prime minister must step down. The president must invite the New Popular Front to govern.”
François Hollande, former Socialist President
“The New Popular Front must realize what it has to do today. It is the strongest party in the National Assembly. It does not have an absolute majority. As I said, it has a relative majority.”
Raphael Glucksmann, Socialist Party
“We are ahead, but we are in a divided parliament … so we have to act like adults.
“We are going to have to talk, discuss, have dialogue… The balance of power in parliament has changed… There will be a fundamental change in the political culture.”
Olivier Faure, Socialist Party
“We must do our best to reunite the country. The National Front has made a choice that divides French citizens. We must put the country back on a clear path and the New Popular Front must take the lead in this new chapter. “We. History.
Edouard Philippe, former Prime Minister and leader of the centrist Horizon Party
“We must listen to the voice of the country, face the world and reality, and try to present a coherent and credible plan to the French people.
“I would say that this work cannot be the work of one person or a small group of experts, it must bring together the broadest possible range of wisdom and experience.
“Our country’s credibility could be damaged as a result and centrist political forces must reach an uncompromising agreement to stabilize politics, but France Indomitus and the Royal Navy cannot be part of this.”
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk
“Enthusiasm in Paris, disappointment in Moscow, relaxation in Kiev. Happy enough in Warsaw.”
Paolo Gentiloni, European Economic Commissioner
“Long live the Republic!”
Niels Schmid, Member of the German Parliament and Foreign Policy Spokesperson of the Social Democratic Party of the Bundestag
“The worst-case scenario has been avoided…the president is politically weakened, even if he retains a central role in much of the uncertainty. Forming a government will be complicated.”
