Unexpected election results leave France with hung Parliament

New Delhi, July 8: In a surprising turn of events, France's far-right National Rally (RN) has failed to secure a majority in the parliamentary elections, despite earlier polls suggesting they had the upper hand. The election night brought unexpected results, catching many off guard.

The official results reveal a victory for the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance, hastily organized by Jean-Luc Mélenchon.

Meanwhile, President Emmanuel Macron's centrist Ensemble alliance managed an unexpected resurgence, pushing the RN to third place. However, no party has won enough seats to govern independently, resulting in a hung parliament. For many, this outcome brings relief as the RN was unable to take power.

President Macron's Ensemble alliance secured second place, followed by the RN in third. The lack of a governing majority leaves France facing a hung parliament, with no tradition of cooperation among the three leading groups. Macron has yet to comment on the results.

This election marked the second round of voting in the snap parliamentary elections called by Macron a month ago. After the RN's strong performance in the first round, many leftist and centrist candidates strategically withdrew to consolidate the anti-RN vote behind a single contender.