Braun-Pivet secures second term as French parliament speaker

In a decisive move for President Emmanuel Macron's government, Yael Braun-Pivet, the outgoing president of the French parliament, secured a second term as speaker on Thursday. This victory is seen as a strategic boost for Macron's camp amidst a politically fragmented parliament.

Braun-Pivet garnered 220 votes, narrowly defeating veteran communist lawmaker Andre Chassaigne, who received 207 votes. The tightly contested election required three rounds of voting.

This re-election occurs as the lower house of parliament convenes for the first time since the recent inconclusive elections, where the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) alliance unexpectedly led, surpassing Macron’s centrists and Marine Le Pen's far-right party. Despite the NFP's lead, no single group achieved a majority.

Typically, electing the parliament's president, who manages the chamber's agenda and debates, is a procedural formality. However, with Macron's weakened position, the role has gained heightened significance amidst the uncertainty of forming an effective government in a divided parliament.

The vote may hint at the potential formation of a coalition government with a working majority, though nothing is certain. Braun-Pivet emphasized the need for cooperation and compromise in her post-election speech, stating, "We have no choice: we have to get along, we have to cooperate, we have to seek compromise, we have to be able to talk to each other and move forward."

Representing Macron's Together group, Braun-Pivet, 53, aims to forge a coalition with other mainstream parties, potentially including segments of the NFP but excluding the hard-left France Unbowed.

Following the election of the parliament speaker, attention shifts to the formation of the government. Centrist Prime Minister Gabriel Attal has resigned but continues in a caretaker role. This caretaker government might remain in place through the Paris Olympic Games from July 26 to August 11, and possibly longer.