French lawmakers reelected Yaël Braun-Pivet as president of the National Assembly on Thursday, overcoming a political impasse following the hung parliament resulting from July’s parliamentary elections.
Braun-Pivet, a member of French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party, previously held the position of assembly president. However, her reelection was uncertain after her party lost seats and political dominance earlier this month.
In the surprising parliamentary election runoff on July 7, a leftwing coalition emerged as the largest group in the 577-seat National Assembly, placing Macron’s centrist Ensemble alliance in second and the far-right National Rally (RN) and its allies in third.
Despite the challenging circumstances, Braun-Pivet secured the top parliamentary role with 220 votes in the third round of voting, following two rounds that failed to produce an absolute majority winner.
The assembly president’s role is akin to the Speaker of the House of Representatives in the United States, involving setting legislative timetables, priorities, and overseeing key commission appointments.
Political Shifts and Government Resignation
On Tuesday, Macron accepted the resignation of Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, who will remain in a caretaker capacity until a new government is appointed. Attal’s resignation paves the way for Macron to name a successor, though no obvious candidate has emerged. The newly elected National Assembly appears poised for gridlock after the second round of voting delivered a hung parliament.
Election Outcomes and Political Bargaining
The election was seen as a victory for the French mainstream and a reflection of voters’ desire to prevent the far-right from gaining power. Marine Le Pen’s RN party led in the first round, raising concerns about the potential for France to elect its first far-right government since World War II’s Vichy regime.
However, after a week of political maneuvering that saw over 200 centrist and left-wing candidates withdraw to avoid vote splitting, the RN fell to third place in the second round. The left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance won the most seats of any bloc in a surprising result.
Traditionally, the French president appoints a prime minister from the largest group in parliament. However, it remains unclear from which party within the NFP the new prime minister will be chosen. The NFP, hastily formed just days after Macron called the election last month, consists of parties with varying ideologies, including the hard-left France Unbowed party and the more moderate Socialist Party and Place Publique.
Braun-Pivet’s reelection and the forthcoming appointment of a new prime minister will shape the legislative and political landscape of France as the nation navigates the complexities of a hung parliament.