[News Terms] France, Foggy Situation in 'Hung Uigwe' Assembly

Ruling Party Fails to Secure Majority in the House for the First Time in 20 Years
Left-Wing Coalition NFP "Left-Wing Coalition Is Ready to Govern"
Broad Ruling Coalition "No One Can Claim Victory"

On the 7th (local time), the runoff election of the French legislative election resulted in a 'Hung Parliament' situation where no party secured a majority in the National Assembly, plunging the political situation into uncertainty.

Exit polls unexpectedly showed that the left-wing coalition New Popular Front (NFP) is projected to secure 178 to 205 seats out of the total 577 seats, President Emmanuel Macron's centrist coalition is expected to win 157 to 174 seats, and the far-right RN is forecasted to obtain 113 to 148 seats. No bloc reached the majority threshold of 289 seats, resulting in the reappearance of a 'Hung Parliament.'

Jean-Luc M?lenchon, leader of La France Insoumise (LFI) within the French left-wing coalition, raised both arms high in the air on the 7th (local time) in central Paris after the exit poll results of the second round of the legislative election were announced. In the second round of the French legislative election held that day, the left-wing coalition New Popular Front (NFP) was expected to surpass the far-right party and secure the position of the leading party.
[Photo by EPA, Paris / Yonhap News]

A 'Hung Parliament' refers to a situation in a parliamentary government system where no single party holds a majority in the legislature. It is a colloquial expression used in parliamentary systems such as the United Kingdom to describe a state where no single party (or coalition of parties) controls the majority of seats in the parliament (legislature). The term 'Hung' means hanging or dangling. For stable parliamentary operation, the majority party must secure more than half the seats; otherwise, governance is precariously "hanging in the air."

In English-speaking countries, expressions such as 'balanced parliament' or 'legislature under no overall control' are also used. In bicameral legislatures where the government is responsible only to the lower house, the term 'Hung Parliament' is applied only to that lower house.

In the 2022 legislative election held immediately after the presidential election, President Macron's centrist coalition won only 245 seats, falling short of a majority. It was the first time in 20 years that the ruling party in France failed to secure a majority in the lower house. Initially, in the first round of voting, RN led in support, but ahead of the second round, the left-wing camp and the centrist coalition unified their candidates to block RN candidates, resulting in an unexpected outcome. With no party securing an absolute majority, the prime minister appointment process is shrouded in uncertainty.

In France, the president appoints the prime minister. The prime minister, responsible for running the government, proposes ministers to the president to form the cabinet. The issue is that the lower house can pass a vote of no confidence against the prime minister and the cabinet.

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal held a press conference at the Prime Minister's residence in Paris on the 7th (local time) to explain the results of the second round of the general election held that day. On this day, Attal announced that he would take responsibility for the ruling coalition's failure to secure the position of the largest party and expressed his intention to resign to President Emmanuel Macron.
[Photo by EPA Paris/ Yonhap News]

If the ruling party does not hold a majority, the president risks having his appointed prime minister immediately rejected by the parliament. Therefore, it is customary in France for the president to appoint a prime minister who has the support of the majority party in the lower house.

In French political history, cohabitation governments where the president and prime minister belong to different parties have emerged after the ruling party lost legislative elections for this reason. The NFP, expected to become the largest party, is pressuring President Macron to grant them the right to form the government. Immediately after the exit poll results were announced, Jean-Luc M?lenchon, leader of La France Insoumise (LFI) within the left-wing coalition, held a press conference stating, "The president has an obligation to ask the NFP to run the country. The left-wing coalition is ready to govern."

President Macron has repeatedly stated that he will not entrust government operations to the far-left party LFI, so conflicts with the NFP are expected during the prime minister appointment process. It is also not entirely impossible that President Macron, despite opposition from the opposition, might appoint a prime minister from the centrist coalition, which is the second-largest bloc in the National Assembly. If he consolidates support with the right-wing Republicans, this is not an entirely impossible scenario.

G?rald Darmanin, Minister of the Interior from the centrist coalition, said, "Looking at today's election results, no one can claim victory. Jean-Luc M?lenchon certainly cannot," signaling readiness to cooperate more with the Republicans in the parliament and issuing a warning to the NFP.