French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal Resigns Amid Political Turmoil
French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal is set to resign, but will remain as head of a caretaker government, according to officials. This move comes amidst significant political turmoil, with no clear successor in sight as parliamentary groups remain divided.
President Emmanuel Macron is expected to accept Attal’s resignation after Tuesday’s cabinet meeting. This follows a severe defeat for Macron’s allies in a snap National Assembly election intended to provide political clarity.
Attal and his team are likely to stay on as a caretaker government with limited powers until after the Paris Olympics, scheduled to open on July 26. This interim period would allow political parties more time to form a governing coalition following the inconclusive election runoff on July 7, which left the National Assembly without a clear majority.
The New Popular Front (NFP) — an alliance of Socialists, Communists, Greens, and the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) — secured the most seats, winning 193 out of 577. Macron’s allies came in second with 164 seats, while the far-right National Rally (RN) secured 143 seats.
The NFP is currently struggling to agree on a candidate for prime minister due to internal conflicts, particularly between the LFI and the more moderate Socialists. These disagreements have hindered efforts to find a candidate who could survive a confidence vote in parliament.
Over the weekend, the Socialists rejected the candidacy of Huguette Bello, a former communist MP and president of the regional council in France’s overseas territory La Reunion, despite her support from other left-wing parties. Conversely, the LFI rejected Laurence Tubiana, an economist and climate specialist without political affiliation, who had the backing of the Socialists, Communists, and Greens.
Leftist deputy François Ruffin described the NFP’s infighting as “shameful,” while Green deputy Sandrine Rousseau expressed frustration over the disagreements.
On Saturday, Attal was elected leader of his party’s National Assembly contingent, as he looks toward his future outside the government. He has stated his intention to “contribute to the emergence of a majority concerning projects and ideas.”
Observers note that Macron and Attal still hope to form a right-of-centre majority in parliament to exclude both the LFI and the far-right RN from any new coalition.
Once Attal resigns, he and other cabinet members will be able to take their seats in parliament and participate in coalition-building efforts. Parliament reconvenes on Thursday to begin filling key positions, including the National Assembly speaker.
Tensions have surfaced between Attal and Macron, with the prime minister seemingly blaming Macron for the electoral defeat, just six months after being appointed France’s youngest-ever head of government at 34. Macron still has nearly three years remaining in his term, with far-right leader Marine Le Pen expected to make another bid for power in the 2027 elections.
