France is facing significant political turmoil after President Emmanuel Macron declined to appoint a prime minister from the New Popular Front (NFP), a left-wing coalition that won the most parliamentary seats in last month’s snap election. This decision has intensified the political deadlock, as the Assemblée Nationale remains divided among three blocs—left, center, and far-right—none holding a majority.
Macron’s decision not to appoint NFP’s candidate, Lucie Castets, was based on his concern that a government led by this coalition would face immediate opposition, with more than 350 MPs likely to vote against it, effectively preventing any governance. This stance has been met with strong backlash from the NFP, which refuses to participate in further consultations unless it is to form a government, and from other left-wing parties who see this as a rejection of democratic outcomes.
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, president of France Unbowed (LFI), one of the parties in the NFP, has accused Macron of creating a crisis and has called for protests and a motion of impeachment against him. This political impasse is unprecedented in France’s Fifth Republic and poses a challenge for Macron, who seeks to avoid a government collapse and maintain stability in the face of divided political factions.
