France Faces Political Deadlock After Hung Parliament

France is facing political uncertainty after recent elections resulted in a hung parliament. A leftist alliance took the top spot, surpassing Marine Le Pen's National Rally, but no group achieved a majority. The division could weaken President Macron's position both domestically and in the EU, leaving the country in a gridlocked state.

France is grappling with a potential political deadlock after Sunday's elections resulted in a hung parliament. A leftist alliance unexpectedly secured the lead, surpassing the far-right but without any group winning a majority. This outcome has set the stage for a divided parliament, making governance challenging for all parties involved.

Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) faced a significant setback, coming in third despite prior poll forecasts. The results also dealt a blow to centrist President Emmanuel Macron, who had called for the snap election to solidify his position following a poor showing in the European Parliament elections.

As official results trickled in, it became clear that the leftist New Popular Front (NFP) alliance, eager to govern, did not achieve an absolute majority. The political landscape remains highly fragmented, with uncertain prospects for future governance and policies.

(With inputs from agencies.)