French President Macron Declines PM Gabriel Attal’s Resignation

French President, Emmanuel Macron has refused the resignation of the country’s Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal asking him on Monday to remain temporarily as the head of the government after chaotic election results left the government in limbo.

LEADERSHIP earlier reported Attal’s offer to tender his resignation letter to President Macron on Monday after his party failed to win a majority in parliamentary elections.

French voters split the legislature on the left, center, and far right, leaving no faction even close to the majority needed to form a government.

The results from Sunday’s vote raised the risk of paralysis for the European Union’s second-largest economy, AFP reported.

President Macron gambled that his decision to call snap elections would give France a “moment of clarification,” but the outcome showed the opposite, less than three weeks before the start of the Paris Olympics which thrusts the country on the international stage.

France’s main share index opened with a dip, but quickly recovered, possibly because markets had feared an outright victory for the far-right or the leftist coalition.

Prime Minister Attal had said he would remain in office if needed, but offered his resignation Monday morning.
Macron, who named him just seven months ago, immediately asked him to stay on “to ensure the stability of the country.”

Attal had on Sunday made clear that he disagreed with Macron’s decision to call the surprise elections.

The results of two rounds of voting left no obvious path to form a government for either the leftist coalition that came in first, Macron’s centrist alliance, or the far right.