French govt rushes to salvage reform agenda

PARIS • French President Emmanuel Macron's centrist camp scrambled yesterday to seek support from parliamentary rivals in order to salvage some of his reform agenda and avoid political paralysis, after voters punished them in a legislative election.

While Mr Macron's "Ensemble" grouping secured the largest number of lawmakers in the 577-seat National Assembly, it fell well short of an absolute majority in a vote on Sunday that saw a left-wing alliance and the far-right perform very strongly.

"It's going to be complicated," government spokesman Olivia Gregoire told France Inter radio. "We're going to have to be creative. "What I fear most is that this country will be blocked."

One key question is whether Mr Macron will try to strike a coalition deal with the conservative Les Republicains or enter into messy negotiations with opponents on a Bill-by-Bill basis.

"We will try to bring others on board with us, especially to convince the few moderates in Parliament to follow us," Ms Gregoire said, adding that Mr Macron is set to reshuffle his government in the coming days.

If no deal can be found, the euro zone's second biggest economy faces political paralysis. Parliament is fragmented, with a broad left-wing alliance and, diametrically opposed to it, the largest far-right group ever elected.

If Mr Macron cannot find enough support to make things work, France may face snap elections down the line.

A first major test will be a cost-of-living Bill which Ms Gregoire said the government will put to lawmakers in eight days, when the new Parliament will sit for the first time.

Mr Macron's centrist camp got 246 seats - well below the 289 needed to control Parliament, the Nupes left-wing alliance secured 142, the far-right 89 and Les Republicains 64.

The vote was a painful setback for Mr Macron, 44, who was re-elected in April. In his second and final term, he wants to deepen European Union integration, raise the retirement age and inject new life into France's nuclear industry.

His Ensemble alliance and Les Republicains have compatible platforms on economic matters. Together, they would have an absolute majority.

But lawmakers from Les Republicains indicated they were not willing to jump on board just yet.

The "position in Parliament will be free and independent", party secretary-general Aurelien Pradie told Franceinfo radio.

REUTERS