Macron To Address Nation In Letter To Be Published This Afternoon

BFM reporting that President Emmanuel Macron is set to address the nation in a letter to be published in the country's regional press later this afternoon. Macron's address will come amid continued political intrigue over which parties will be able to work together in the new National Assembly to form a gov't following the inconclusive legislative election. BFM: "According to our information, the president will discuss the outcome of the legislative elections in this letter." BFM offers no timings of when this letter is set to be published.

• Earlier in the week Macron refused the resignation of incumbent PM Gabriel Attal, saying that he needed to remain in office 'for now'. With the Assembly due to convene for the first time on 18 July and formalise the composition of each group (some deputies have already indicated they will sit in other groups than the ones they were elected as part of), there is just over a week for deals to be struck.
• Two ministers hailing from Macron's centrist Renaissance party indicated this morning (see 'FRANCE: Macron Ministers Calls For Ensemble-LR Alliance To Outflank NFP', 0943BST) that they want the centrist Ensemble bloc to align with the conservative Les Republicains in order to become the largest bloc and raise the prospect of Macron appointing a PM from their alliance.