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00:00Thousands of kilometers from home, Emmanuel Macron is in Washington for the NATO summit.
00:05And after three days of radio silence, he made his first comments about the results
00:10of France's legislative election Sunday, which has left the country in a state of political
00:15uncertainty.
00:16In a letter published in French newspapers, Macron called for a coalition representing
00:21Republican institutions, the rule of law, parliamentary norms, a pro-European orientation,
00:28and the defense of French independence, adding, it is in the light of these principles that
00:33I will decide on the appointment of the prime minister.
00:37Macron's statement followed widespread calls for him to take action, including from the
00:41hard-left leader of France en barre, Jean-Luc Mélenchon.
00:47It has now been three days since the results of the election were announced, and no one
00:51has been called upon to form a government.
00:54The far-left coalition, the New Popular Front, came out on top Sunday, but without an absolute
00:59majority.
01:00Earlier, the group issued its own statement, demanding that Macron name a PM from its ranks.
01:06We solemnly warn the president against any attempts to hijack the institutions.
01:10If the president continues to ignore the results, it will amount to betrayal of our constitution
01:15and a coup against democracy.
01:18For the time being, the New Popular Front is still trying to agree on a candidate to
01:22propose as prime minister.
01:24The Socialist Party's first secretary, Olivier Faure, says he's ready to take on the role,
01:29while from Mélenchon's France Unbowed Party, MP Clémence Guetet's name has been put forward.
01:35Meanwhile, some senior members of the Republican Party have reached out to Macron's camp, and
01:41the minister of the interior says he's open to an alliance with his former party.
01:47We must acknowledge that no one has the majority, and take time to avoid the drama of the NFP
01:51and build something between well-intentioned individuals without being drawn into petty
01:55quarrels.
01:56There could be a right-wing PM, and it's not my choice to make, but I wouldn't mind.
02:00Others are calling for a broad coalition, encompassing both the right and the left,
02:06though not including the far-right National Rally or the far-left party France Unbowed.