Macron accepts the government’s resignation – the prime minister will lead a transitional government

French politics has been deadlocked since the landslide result in the second round of elections on 7 July. There, none of the three blocs got a majority, and there is still no agreement on a coalition government.

None of the blocs has proposed a candidate for prime minister. Emmanuel Macron has now asked incumbent Prime Minister Gabriel Attal from his own party to continue until further notice.

Keep the boat afloat

Attal will ensure that France does not stop, but does not have the authority to make major decisions. A business ministry can deal with ongoing matters, but not present legislative proposals. One of the tasks of the interim government will be to ensure that the Olympics in Paris proceed as planned. The Summer Games begin on 26 July and last until 11 August.

France has had interim governments in the past, but none lasted more than a few days. This time the period will be longer. Formally speaking, there is no upper limit to the term of office of a business ministry, and Parliament cannot enforce it.

So the busta blows

The four left-wing parties in New People’s Front, which just before the first round of elections on 30 June decided to form an alliance, are arguing internally regarding who should be nominated as prime ministerial candidate. The Front unexpectedly became the largest of the three blocs, but did not get a majority.

The bloc brings together moderate socialists, the Greens, communists and hard-line left-wing radicals. Old party differences that were pushed aside in connection with the election have led to severe friction and discord regarding the way forward.

To further complicate the picture, Macron has advocated that more centrist parties must enter into an alliance with the aim of forming a coalition government. He obviously envisions that some of the parties in New People’s Front might become current partners for the incumbent government party and its supporters.

Le Pen isolated

No one is talking regarding having any formal cooperation with Nasjonal Samling (RN), the far-right party of Marine le Pen. This party came third in the second round of voting, even with a share of the vote of 37 percent, including some small supporting parties.

Communist Party leader Fabien Roussel warns the parties in the New People’s Front and says that if they fail to agree on a candidate in the next few hours and days, the entire project on the left will fail.