Macron alliance set to lose parliamentary majority: Projections | Elections News

French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist coalition projected not to win majority of 577 seats in the National Assembly.

French President Emmanuel Macron’s alliance got the most seats in the final round of the parliamentary election on Sunday but lost its parliamentary majority, projections show.

The projections, which are based on partial results, show that Macron’s candidates would win between 200 and 250 seats – much less than the 289 required to have a straight majority at the National Assembly, France’s most powerful house of parliament.

The result means Macron’s coalition will be the biggest party in the next Assembly. Falling short of the majority means the president may be forced into alliances with other parties.

“It’s less than what we hoped for. The French have not given us an absolute majority. It’s an unprecedented situation that will require us to overcome our divisions,” said Gabriel Attal, the budget minister.

A new coalition – made up of the hard left, the Socialists and the Greens – is projected to become the main opposition force with about 150 to 200 seats.

The far-right National Rally is projected to register a huge surge with potentially more than 80 seats, up from eight before.

Sunday’s election result needed to be decisive for Macron’s second-term agenda following his re-election in April, with the 44-year-old president needing a majority to be able to deliver on promised tax cuts and welfare reform and raise the retirement age.

These parliamentary elections have largely been defined by voter apathy – with over half the electorate staying home for the first round, and broadsides between candidates further turning people away.

Turnout was at 38.11 percent at 15:00 GMT, the interior ministry said on Sunday. The figure was down on the 39.42 percent recorded in the first round on June 12 at the same stage, although up on the 35.33 percent recorded in 2017.