Centrist Speaker Retains Position Amid Divided French National Assembly

Yaël Braun-Pivet of President Emmanuel Macron's party retained her position as speaker of the French National Assembly after a three-round vote. The assembly is divided among three major blocs: a leftist coalition, Macron's centrists, and the far-right National Rally party, none having an outright majority.

France's divided National Assembly has retained Yaël Braun-Pivet, a centrist member of President Emmanuel Macron's party, as its speaker.

Yaël Braun-Pivet, 53, who has held the speaker's role since 2022, secured her position after surviving three rounds of voting in the lower house of parliament. She garnered support from Macron's centrist allies and certain conservative lawmakers, aimed at blocking a communist lawmaker, her leftist rival, from obtaining the role.

The recent parliamentary elections led to a fragmented assembly with three main political factions: the leftist coalition known as the New Popular Front, Macron's centrist faction, and the far-right National Rally party. Notably, none of these groups managed to achieve an outright majority.

(With inputs from agencies.)