An remarkable development is the revival of the left-wing coalition led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon. This coalition, consisting of socialists, greens, and communists, has made significant gains and is disrupting the traditional French power distribution. In the past, similar attempts to form a ‘left front’ failed due to major differences between the programs and politicians from the 'divided left'.
The left-wing coalition can now form a government with the current ruling party of President Emmanuel Macron, which as the second party has secured a larger share of voters than previously expected.
Progressive politicians in the EU praise French voters for their choice to counter the further rise of the far right. They see the French elections as an example of how cooperation and coalition-building can lead to more balanced and inclusive politics.
The election results are also seen as a 'no' to the far right, with Marine Le Pen's Rassemblement National (RN) winning seats but not enough to come to power. In Germany, large demonstrations have been ongoing for months against possible cooperation with the far-right AfD.
In the Netherlands, however, a government led by a far-right party came to power last week. The anti-EU and anti-Islam politician Geert Wilders gained sufficient support from two centrist parties and a new populist farmers' party.
The election results present significant challenges for French politicians in maintaining political stability. President Macron and his new left-wing coalition partners will have to navigate a fragmented parliament.
This situation requires a new approach in the French political system, where coalition-building and cooperation are central, similar to many other European democracies.