Macron to meet opposing parties

• A meeting with the opposition is scheduled after French President Emmanuel Macron failed to win a majority in the general election.
• Macron’s government is now under pressure to gain support from its rivals to implement its reform agenda.
• But neither Marine Le Pen’s far-right alliance nor Jean-Luc Melanchon’s Green Left alliance are willing to work with him.

A meeting with the opposition is scheduled after French President Emmanuel Macron failed to win a majority in the general election.

Macron’s government is now under pressure to gain support from its rivals to implement its reform agenda. But neither Marine Le Pen’s far-right alliance nor Jean-Luc Melanchon’s Green Left alliance are willing to work with him.

Minority governments are rare in France, and Macron’s overall alliance has 44 seats behind the majority. In other words, to create a Working Majority, you need the support of key politicians on the left and right.

Read more: Macron faces tough battle for control of parliament as France votes

Party representatives will visit the Elysees separately on Tuesday and Wednesday for high-level talks. Analysts say the president could seek talks with right-wing Republicans, and the party has confirmed that party leader Christian Jacob will join the talks.

According to AFP, Mr Le Pen will attend, but Mr Melenchon will not attend, AFP said. He will meet with Olivier Faure, leader of the Socialist Party, and Fabien Russell de Macron, leader of the Communist Party, a member of the Nupes League on the left.
The centrist government of France is trying to avoid a political raft after losing the majority, and some commentators warn that France is becoming undisciplined. Macron will also replace three ministers who lost seats in Sunday’s vote, jeopardizing the future of Prime Minister Elizabeth Vaughn.

Read more: France’s Macron invites political parties to discuss hung parliament-source

In Sunday’s election, 53% of voters abstained. President Macron has developed a number of initiatives to combat rising cost of living, including improved food stamps and benefits. Another important reform was the gradual raising of the retirement age from 62 to 65, which was unpopular with most voters. Without an “alternative majority” to Macron’s ruling alliance, the aim is to “create a solution to help France,” a presidential official told AFP on condition of anonymity.

Opponents on the right and left want to oppose the president’s reform program, but Senator Le Pen says a national rally will support crisis mitigation measures if their proposal is accepted.