France election | Macron looks to salvage a ruling majority as alliance falls short

Though French President Emmanuel Macron’s ‘Ensemble’ alliance secured the largest number of lawmakers in the 577-seat National Assembly, it fell comfortably short of the threshold required for an absolute majority

French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist camp secured 245 out of 577 seats in the country’s parliamentary election, falling short of an absolute majority, according to final figures from the interior ministry.

Mr. Macron was faced with trying to salvage a ruling majority and with it his economic reform agenda after voters punished his centrist 'Ensemble' alliance.

Ensemble secured the largest number of lawmakers in the 577-seat National Assembly in a vote that saw a leftwing alliance and the far-right perform strongly.

ALSO READ: Why France’s parliamentary elections are important to President Macron

The vote was a painful setback for Mr. Macron, 44, who was re-elected in April and wants to deepen European Union integration, raise the retirement age and inject new life into France's nuclear industry.

There is no set script in France for how things will unfold.

Macron's options include forming a ruling coalition or presiding over a minority government that has to enter into negotiations with opponents on a bill-by-bill basis. The alternative if no agreement can be found is for the euro zone's second biggest economy to be plunged into paralysis.