People are calling the French parliamentary elections a Massive win for the left.

As someone that knows nothing about french politics it doesn't look that way to a layman.

New popular front (left) - 182 seats

Macron's centrist party - 163 seats 

National front (far-right) - 143 seats

Republicans (right) - 68 seats

Other left (not part of the NPF) - 11 seats 

Other - 10 seats.


Help me out here, but it still looks like Macron has a lot of power. If he works with the national front they have a majority together.

If he works with the new popular front they have a majority together.

But either way they both need macron's centrist party.

Why are people seemingly sure the left can implement their agenda? Eg. Macron will cave to the left?
user
Macron had a loose electoral alliance with the left and Les Republicans against the Far Right, agreeing to stand down in the second round of voting to make sure the Far Right loses.

The Far Right have also been the traditional opposition to his presidency, and he has often won the second round of presidential voting off the back of left voters against the Right. If he wants to win the presidency again, this is something he will have to replicate.

Le Pen also ruled out being a part of any government that isn't a majority government of the Far Right.

An alliance with the right would also put them in the position that the left are currently in.

With all of these factors, while not mathematically impossible for Macron to side with the right, it would be probably the biggest political shock of all time. In addition if the centrist hold up coalition talks with unreasonable demands, they risk another election where it is likely the left and far right would both do even better.
assistant
Thank you that makes more sense.

So Macron kind of needs to play with the left
user
Yeah, he already has been to varying degrees his entire presidency, so the question isn't so much is he gonna keep working with the left, but what concessions will he demand of new left government, and how will he use his presidential office with or against them.
assistant