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Macron rejects French PM’s resignation request

After meeting with Attal, Macron received Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who had also expressed his intention to resign after the election

French President Emmanuel Macron Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP, File

French President Emmanuel Macron

© Ludovic Marin, Pool via AP, File

PARIS, July 8. /TASS/. French President Emmanuel Macron has refused to accept the resignation of the republic’s Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, the AFP news agency reported, citing the Elysee Palace.

According to it, the head of state asked the prime minister to temporarily stay in office to ensure stability in the country.

After meeting with Attal, Macron received Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin, who had also expressed his intention to resign after the election. According to AFP, the government will continue to operate in its current composition until early fall to ensure that the Olympics (July 26-August 11) and Paralympics (August 28-September 8) are held smoothly, AFP noted.

Meanwhile, the left-wing New Popular Front alliance, which won the parliamentary elections, is still mulling who to choose as prime minister.

The Europe 1 radio station says that the new head of government will not be announced in the near future. Macron may not make a final decision on the candidacy of the prime minister until July 18, which is the date of the National Assembly's first meeting to elect its new chairman. Earlier, the radio station pointed out that the head of state is not obliged to immediately appoint a new head of government. The Elysee Palace made it clear that the president needs time to analyze the situation. In addition, the French leader must fly to Washington on July 9 to participate in the NATO summit. He will be able to return to current affairs only on July 11.

According to the French Interior Ministry, the New Popular Front alliance has won the extraordinary elections to the National Assembly (lower house of parliament), winning 182 seats. The presidential Together for the Republic coalition got 168 seats, next was the National Rally right-wing party (143), and the Republicans center-right party (46) followed.

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