President Macron urges political groups to unite and establish a collaboration.

Emmanuel Macron has called on political parties to "rise to the occasion and work together" in order to establish a majority coalition with enough power following the recent snap election's result. The election resulted in no clear pathway for forming a government, as voters returned a hung parliament without an obvious majority.

In his letter addressed to the nation, Macron emphasized that no political force had secured a sufficient majority and all emerging blocs were minorities. He urged those who identify with French republican institutions, rule of law, parliamentary democracy, a pro-European stance, and independence for France to engage in honest dialogue aimed at constructing a strong yet diverse coalition for the country's benefit.

The callout seemed aimed at excluding Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN), but it also implicitly addressed the radical left France Unbowed (LFI) of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, which emerged as the unexpected winner in the election and is part of the New Popular Front (NFP) alliance.

The NFP, including centre-left socialist, green, and communist parties, won 182 seats out of the total 577 assembly seats and could count on additional support from a few left-leaning MPs. Macron's centrist coalition secured 168 seats while far-right RN came third with 143 seats before the election.

The NFP stated that, as the largest group in the new assembly, it should have the opportunity to nominate the next prime minister and implement their entire agenda. However, some within Macron's centrist camp and members of the centre-right Les Républicains (LR) expressed reluctance in supporting an NFP-led government and indicated support for a no-confidence motion against a cabinet comprising individuals from LFI.

Macron emphasized that only "republican forces" represented a majority, stating that voters did not want the RN to govern. A broad alliance should be formed based on several key principles rather than individual positions or personalities for the betterment of France.

The outgoing government led by Gabriel Attal would continue its responsibilities and oversee daily affairs in line with republican tradition while parties engaged in negotiations regarding compromises expected from them. Macron's statement came at a time when centrist factions appeared divided, some advocating for alliances only with conservatives, whereas others sought broader coalitions that could include the centre left, potentially resulting in the NFP's fragmentation and the inclusion of other political groups.

Aurore Bergé, Minister for Gender Equality from Macron’s Renaissance party, expressed her group's desire to collaborate with conservatives and members of parliament nearer to the center. She mentioned that there were over 160 deputies today and indicated that others in parliament might join their cause, potentially increasing their numbers compared to the left-wing bloc.

Édouard Philippe, a former prime minister allied with Macron, has also called for negotiations between centrists and conservatives to establish a unified approach for managing the country's affairs over at least a year. The New Popular Front (NFP) announced its intention to propose a candidate for Prime Minister by next week.

Marine Le Pen acknowledged that her party's ultimate victory had been delayed, and Jordan Bardella, her 28-year-old protege, urged the RN MPs to uphold the credibility of their project amidst concerns over past controversies involving candidates during the campaign.