MEANWHILE, IN FRANCE: Macron loses majority, long and painful crisis to come. “The biggest heaping of blame must fall on President Emmanuel Macron. He helped to throw away a comfortable lead in parliamentary seat projections by dithering for four weeks over his new government and prime minister. He allowed his centrist alliance to conduct a limp and leaderless campaign. Macron’s party are known as marcheurs (walkers). To win an election you need to run, not walk. Some insiders suggest that this was a deliberate strategy to “de-dramatise” the election and preserve the momentum from Macron’s re-election.. Others hint that Macron has been uncharacteristically lacking in ideas and energy since his presidential triumph in April, as if two years of back-to-back crises had sapped him mentally and physically.”
Marine Le Pen’s party, meanwhile, is up to 89 seats.
Related: ‘Unprecedented situation’ – Macron loses majority in French parliament. “The Macron government has also lost several big names, as ministers including Health minister Brigitte Bourguignon and Environment minister Amélie de Montchalin lost their seats.”