section_path: Aftermath/Post-election manoeuvring
section_name: Post-election manoeuvring
paragraph_text: Post-election manoeuvring
  
  Attal announced that he would resign as prime minister just after the results were announced. Macron was not required to accept Attal's resignation, and the latter noted that he would be willing to remain in his post as long as necessary, and Macron ultimately refused his resignation "for the time being" on the morning of 8 July. In a letter published in the regional press on 10 July, Macron declared that "nobody won" the elections and added that the current government would remain in place until it was clear that a new "necessarily plural" government of "political forces that recognise themselves in republican institutions" could be formed, with leading figures on the left decrying the letter as a "refus to recognise the result of the elections" showing that Macron was "in denial" and attempting a "democratic coup" by signaling that he would not allow the NFP to lead the next government if it included LFI members. Macron accepted his resignation on 16 July, allowing ministers to vote for the president of the National Assembly while remaining in place as a caretaker government.
  
  In an interview on 1 July, Aurore Bergé signaled openness to a coalition with members of other parties, including "the Republicans who didn't want to corrupt themselves with Éric Ciotti and with the RN, with certain members of the Socialist Party, the ecologists, the communists," a view shared by the leader of alliance partner Horizons Édouard Philippe. Philippe called for an "agreement which will stabilise the political situation" excluding LFI and the RN. Séjourné likewise excluded the possibility of governing alongside Mélenchon and some of his allies on the left, saying that there would be certain prerequisites for any potential coalition. Interviewed on 8 July, Darmanin envisaged the possibility of cooperation with the PS on some issues where they differed from LFI, but went on to add that he was opposed to working with ecologist deputies. On 9 July, several Renaissance deputies threatened to file a motion of no confidence in the event that the next government included LFI deputies, and in the face of these threats and Attal's continuation as prime minister, the NFP warned Macron "against any attempt to hijack the institutions."
  
  A number of key figures indicated their preference for working with the right rather than the left, with Philippe arguing for a "technical agreement" but not coalition with LR in addition to Darmanin publicly stating that "the country is on the right we must govern on the right," and Macron reportedly met with LR Senate president Gérard Larcher on the evening of 8 July. Bergé and Darmanin both publicly appealed for the support of LR deputies the following day, with the latter also confirming that he would also vote for a motion of no confidence against a NFP government, but Bayrou was less receptive to the idea, suggesting that he preferred a coalition which still involved some figures from the left.
  
  On 2 July, LFI national coordinator Manuel Bompard announced that his party would not participate in a grand coalition including LFI and Ensemble, and Attal likewise ruled out the possibility of a coalition with LFI. Tondelier declined to rule out the possibility of participating in a coalition but indicated her desire not to do so and her opposition to a Macron-aligned prime minister. Just after the second round, Mélenchon called for the appointment of a prime minister from the left, echoed by Tondelier and Faure, who said that the NFP intended to govern and would not support any Ensemble-led coalition. Yannick Jadot announced that the NFP would propose its government the week of the second round, Faure declared that the alliance would agree upon a name for prime minister by then, Bompard said that the NFP would implement its programme in its entirety, and Sandrine Rousseau pledged not to repeatedly invoke article 49.3 unlike recent governments.
  
  PS alliance negotiator Johanna Rolland, along with Carole Delga, welcomed the potential support of the leftmost Ensemble deputies in a NFP-led coalition, while Faure resisted pressure from Macron allies to break away from LFI in order to form a government. Huguette Bello emerged as a possible name for prime minister on 12 July, proposed by Roussel but resisted by the PS, which failed to approve Bello's candidacy on 13 July and called for further discussions. LFI reacted by suspending negotiations, demanding that all parties agree upon on a single candidacy for the presidency of the National Assembly, and refusing the possibility of a civil society figure being appointed prime minister, after which the PS, LE, and PCF pushed for discussions to resume and proposed appointing a civil society figure as prime minister, Laurence Tubiana, a hypothesis publicly rejected by LFI figureheads as too "Macron-compatible." Tubiana dismissed the possibility of becoming prime minister on 22 July. On 23 July, the NFP announced that it would propose 37-year-old civil servant Lucie Castets, director of finance and purchasing for the city of Paris, for the post of prime minister, though Macron will not appoint a new government until mid-August at earliest and noted that the question was not of the name for prime minister but rather the ability to find a majority to govern.
  
  Laurent Wauquiez ruled out the possibility of LR participating in a potential coalition just after the results were announced. President of the LR group in the Senate Bruno Retailleau ruled out the possibility of working with any coalition of the left, and like others within his party, deemed the LR brand to be "dead." Despite these statements, some LR figures still called for a pro-Macron alliance in the National Assembly, including Xavier Bertrand and Olivier Marleix. After being elected president of the group, Wauquiez proclaimed that he would not agree to a coalition but would be open to a "legislative pact," and also signaled that the right would vote for a motion of no confidence if any future government included LFI members, a position also held by Larcher.
  
  After falling short of pre-election expectations, Le Pen said that the RN's victory "is only postponed" and that she could not be disappointed with the party's gains in the election. On 8 July, Sébastien Chenu appeared to express regret about the controversies surrounding many of the candidates who went on to lose their races, and affirmed that the RN would remain in opposition "without compromise," and Zoltán Kovács announced that Bardella would chair the Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament. Gilles Pennelle, the general director of the party who oversaw the selection of RN candidates, resigned the day after the election. On 11 July, Renaud Labaye initially announced that the RN would not automatically vote for a motion of no confidence in a NFP-led government including LFI members, but rather consider legislative texts on a case-by-case basis, but Le Pen subsequently clarified that the RN would do so in the case that any government contained LFI or LE ministers, regardless of who led it, and Bardella confirmed that they would immediately vote for a motion of no confidence in any NFP minority government.
  
  Attal announced that he would resign as prime minister just after the results were announced. Macron was not required to accept Attal's resignation, and the latter noted that he would be willing to remain in his post as long as necessary, and Macron ultimately refused his resignation "for the time being" on the morning of 8 July. In a letter published in the regional press on 10 July, Macron declared that "nobody won" the elections and added that the current government would remain in place until it was clear that a new "necessarily plural" government of "political forces that recognise themselves in republican institutions" could be formed, with leading figures on the left decrying the letter as a "refus to recognise the result of the elections" showing that Macron was "in denial" and attempting a "democratic coup" by signaling that he would not allow the NFP to lead the next government if it included LFI members. Macron accepted his resignation on 16 July, allowing ministers to vote for the president of the National Assembly while remaining in place as a caretaker government.
  
  In an interview on 1 July, Aurore Bergé signaled openness to a coalition with members of other parties, including "the Republicans who didn't want to corrupt themselves with Éric Ciotti and with the RN, with certain members of the Socialist Party, the ecologists, the communists," a view shared by the leader of alliance partner Horizons Édouard Philippe. Philippe called for an "agreement which will stabilise the political situation" excluding LFI and the RN. Séjourné likewise excluded the possibility of governing alongside Mélenchon and some of his allies on the left, saying that there would be certain prerequisites for any potential coalition. Interviewed on 8 July, Darmanin envisaged the possibility of cooperation with the PS on some issues where they differed from LFI, but went on to add that he was opposed to working with ecologist deputies. On 9 July, several Renaissance deputies threatened to file a motion of no confidence in the event that the next government included LFI deputies, and in the face of these threats and Attal's continuation as prime minister, the NFP warned Macron "against any attempt to hijack the institutions."
  
  A number of key figures indicated their preference for working with the right rather than the left, with Philippe arguing for a "technical agreement" but not coalition with LR in addition to Darmanin publicly stating that "the country is on the right we must govern on the right," and Macron reportedly met with LR Senate president Gérard Larcher on the evening of 8 July. Bergé and Darmanin both publicly appealed for the support of LR deputies the following day, with the latter also confirming that he would also vote for a motion of no confidence against a NFP government, but Bayrou was less receptive to the idea, suggesting that he preferred a coalition which still involved some figures from the left.
  
  On 2 July, LFI national coordinator Manuel Bompard announced that his party would not participate in a grand coalition including LFI and Ensemble, and Attal likewise ruled out the possibility of a coalition with LFI. Tondelier declined to rule out the possibility of participating in a coalition but indicated her desire not to do so and her opposition to a Macron-aligned prime minister. Just after the second round, Mélenchon called for the appointment of a prime minister from the left, echoed by Tondelier and Faure, who said that the NFP intended to govern and would not support any Ensemble-led coalition. Yannick Jadot announced that the NFP would propose its government the week of the second round, Faure declared that the alliance would agree upon a name for prime minister by then, Bompard said that the NFP would implement its programme in its entirety, and Sandrine Rousseau pledged not to repeatedly invoke article 49.3 unlike recent governments.
  
  PS alliance negotiator Johanna Rolland, along with Carole Delga, welcomed the potential support of the leftmost Ensemble deputies in a NFP-led coalition, while Faure resisted pressure from Macron allies to break away from LFI in order to form a government. Huguette Bello emerged as a possible name for prime minister on 12 July, proposed by Roussel but resisted by the PS, which failed to approve Bello's candidacy on 13 July and called for further discussions. LFI reacted by suspending negotiations, demanding that all parties agree upon on a single candidacy for the presidency of the National Assembly, and refusing the possibility of a civil society figure being appointed prime minister, after which the PS, LE, and PCF pushed for discussions to resume and proposed appointing a civil society figure as prime minister, Laurence Tubiana, a hypothesis publicly rejected by LFI figureheads as too "Macron-compatible." Tubiana dismissed the possibility of becoming prime minister on 22 July. On 23 July, the NFP announced that it would propose 37-year-old civil servant Lucie Castets, director of finance and purchasing for the city of Paris, for the post of prime minister, though Macron will not appoint a new government until mid-August at earliest and noted that the question was not of the name for prime minister but rather the ability to find a majority to govern.
  
  Laurent Wauquiez ruled out the possibility of LR participating in a potential coalition just after the results were announced. President of the LR group in the Senate Bruno Retailleau ruled out the possibility of working with any coalition of the left, and like others within his party, deemed the LR brand to be "dead." Despite these statements, some LR figures still called for a pro-Macron alliance in the National Assembly, including Xavier Bertrand and Olivier Marleix. After being elected president of the group, Wauquiez proclaimed that he would not agree to a coalition but would be open to a "legislative pact," and also signaled that the right would vote for a motion of no confidence if any future government included LFI members, a position also held by Larcher.
  
  After falling short of pre-election expectations, Le Pen said that the RN's victory "is only postponed" and that she could not be disappointed with the party's gains in the election. On 8 July, Sébastien Chenu appeared to express regret about the controversies surrounding many of the candidates who went on to lose their races, and affirmed that the RN would remain in opposition "without compromise," and Zoltán Kovács announced that Bardella would chair the Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament. Gilles Pennelle, the general director of the party who oversaw the selection of RN candidates, resigned the day after the election. On 11 July, Renaud Labaye initially announced that the RN would not automatically vote for a motion of no confidence in a NFP-led government including LFI members, but rather consider legislative texts on a case-by-case basis, but Le Pen subsequently clarified that the RN would do so in the case that any government contained LFI or LE ministers, regardless of who led it, and Bardella confirmed that they would immediately vote for a motion of no confidence in any NFP minority government.
  
  Attal announced that he would resign as prime minister just after the results were announced. Macron was not required to accept Attal's resignation, and the latter noted that he would be willing to remain in his post as long as necessary, and Macron ultimately refused his resignation "for the time being" on the morning of 8 July. In a letter published in the regional press on 10 July, Macron declared that "nobody won" the elections and added that the current government would remain in place until it was clear that a new "necessarily plural" government of "political forces that recognise themselves in republican institutions" could be formed, with leading figures on the left decrying the letter as a "refus to recognise the result of the elections" showing that Macron was "in denial" and attempting a "democratic coup" by signaling that he would not allow the NFP to lead the next government if it included LFI members. Macron accepted his resignation on 16 July, allowing ministers to vote for the president of the National Assembly while remaining in place as a caretaker government.
  
  In an interview on 1 July, Aurore Bergé signaled openness to a coalition with members of other parties, including "the Republicans who didn't want to corrupt themselves with Éric Ciotti and with the RN, with certain members of the Socialist Party, the ecologists, the communists," a view shared by the leader of alliance partner Horizons Édouard Philippe. Philippe called for an "agreement which will stabilise the political situation" excluding LFI and the RN. Séjourné likewise excluded the possibility of governing alongside Mélenchon and some of his allies on the left, saying that there would be certain prerequisites for any potential coalition. Interviewed on 8 July, Darmanin envisaged the possibility of cooperation with the PS on some issues where they differed from LFI, but went on to add that he was opposed to working with ecologist deputies. On 9 July, several Renaissance deputies threatened to file a motion of no confidence in the event that the next government included LFI deputies, and in the face of these threats and Attal's continuation as prime minister, the NFP warned Macron "against any attempt to hijack the institutions."
  
  A number of key figures indicated their preference for working with the right rather than the left, with Philippe arguing for a "technical agreement" but not coalition with LR in addition to Darmanin publicly stating that "the country is on the right we must govern on the right," and Macron reportedly met with LR Senate president Gérard Larcher on the evening of 8 July. Bergé and Darmanin both publicly appealed for the support of LR deputies the following day, with the latter also confirming that he would also vote for a motion of no confidence against a NFP government, but Bayrou was less receptive to the idea, suggesting that he preferred a coalition which still involved some figures from the left.
  
  On 2 July, LFI national coordinator Manuel Bompard announced that his party would not participate in a grand coalition including LFI and Ensemble, and Attal likewise ruled out the possibility of a coalition with LFI. Tondelier declined to rule out the possibility of participating in a coalition but indicated her desire not to do so and her opposition to a Macron-aligned prime minister. Just after the second round, Mélenchon called for the appointment of a prime minister from the left, echoed by Tondelier and Faure, who said that the NFP intended to govern and would not support any Ensemble-led coalition. Yannick Jadot announced that the NFP would propose its government the week of the second round, Faure declared that the alliance would agree upon a name for prime minister by then, Bompard said that the NFP would implement its programme in its entirety, and Sandrine Rousseau pledged not to repeatedly invoke article 49.3 unlike recent governments.
  
  PS alliance negotiator Johanna Rolland, along with Carole Delga, welcomed the potential support of the leftmost Ensemble deputies in a NFP-led coalition, while Faure resisted pressure from Macron allies to break away from LFI in order to form a government. Huguette Bello emerged as a possible name for prime minister on 12 July, proposed by Roussel but resisted by the PS, which failed to approve Bello's candidacy on 13 July and called for further discussions. LFI reacted by suspending negotiations, demanding that all parties agree upon on a single candidacy for the presidency of the National Assembly, and refusing the possibility of a civil society figure being appointed prime minister, after which the PS, LE, and PCF pushed for discussions to resume and proposed appointing a civil society figure as prime minister, Laurence Tubiana, a hypothesis publicly rejected by LFI figureheads as too "Macron-compatible." Tubiana dismissed the possibility of becoming prime minister on 22 July. On 23 July, the NFP announced that it would propose 37-year-old civil servant Lucie Castets, director of finance and purchasing for the city of Paris, for the post of prime minister, though Macron will not appoint a new government until mid-August at earliest and noted that the question was not of the name for prime minister but rather the ability to find a majority to govern.
  
  Laurent Wauquiez ruled out the possibility of LR participating in a potential coalition just after the results were announced. President of the LR group in the Senate Bruno Retailleau ruled out the possibility of working with any coalition of the left, and like others within his party, deemed the LR brand to be "dead." Despite these statements, some LR figures still called for a pro-Macron alliance in the National Assembly, including Xavier Bertrand and Olivier Marleix. After being elected president of the group, Wauquiez proclaimed that he would not agree to a coalition but would be open to a "legislative pact," and also signaled that the right would vote for a motion of no confidence if any future government included LFI members, a position also held by Larcher.
  
  After falling short of pre-election expectations, Le Pen said that the RN's victory "is only postponed" and that she could not be disappointed with the party's gains in the election. On 8 July, Sébastien Chenu appeared to express regret about the controversies surrounding many of the candidates who went on to lose their races, and affirmed that the RN would remain in opposition "without compromise," and Zoltán Kovács announced that Bardella would chair the Patriots for Europe group in the European Parliament. Gilles Pennelle, the general director of the party who oversaw the selection of RN candidates, resigned the day after the election. On 11 July, Renaud Labaye initially announced that the RN would not automatically vote for a motion of no confidence in a NFP-led government including LFI members, but rather consider legislative texts on a case-by-case basis, but Le Pen subsequently clarified that the RN would do so in the case that any government contained LFI or LE ministers, regardless of who led it, and Bardella confirmed that they would immediately vote for a motion of no confidence in any NFP minority government.