PARIS — France finds itself in a political deadlock following unexpected parliamentary election results that have upended projections. In Sunday’s second round, the New Popular Front (NFP) — a left-wing coalition — emerged as the largest bloc in the National Assembly, thus thwarting Marine Le Pen’s far-right party Rassemblement National (National Rally, RN). Still, without a clear majority or obvious prospects for the left to widen its coalition, France is left in political limbo.
The far-right National Rally, initially expected to perform strongly, suffered a significant setback, finishing third behind a resurgent left-wing alliance and President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist coalition Ensemble. France now faces the prospect of a hung parliament, likely to complicate governance.
With reactions ranging from relief to “now, what?”, newspapers this morning echoed many voters’ feelings, who for weeks had been grappling with the possibility of a far-right leadership. Here’s a collection of front pages at home and abroad: