Macron Asks Attal To Stay On As PM 'For Now' Amid Election Fallout

French President Emmanuel Macron has rejected PM Gabriel Attal's resignation offer, saying that the head of gov't needs to remain in office 'for now' following the legislative eleciton second round that delivered a hung parliament with the leftist New Popular Front (NFP) alliance as the largest group.

• There had been some speculation that the centrist Ensemble alliance could seek to peel off centre-left assembly members in order to avoid the far-left La France Insoumise of Jean-Luc Melenchon from having any influence on gov't. However, this appears - at least for now - to be in vain. Centre-left Socialist Party (PS) leader Olivier Faure has said that the NFP will seek to present a PM candidate to Macron by the end of the week.
• Each of the main blocs (NFP, Ensemble, right-wing nationalist National Rally) are unlikely to be able to work with the others barring major policy concessions. If the NFP insists on a PM candidate from the left it would likely result in a vulnerable minority administration. There is also the prospect of a technocratic administration being appointed should no agreement prove possible among or within the various political blocs.