Politicians, world leaders react to French leftists' victory in blocking the far right

The country was on course for a hung parliament with the New Popular Front, a broad leftist coalition, on track to win the most seats, ahead of President Emmanuel Macron's centrist Ensemble (Together) coalition and the far-right National Rally.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk

"In Paris enthusiasm, in Moscow disappointment, in Kyiv relief. Enough to be happy in Warsaw."

Paolo Gentiloni, European commissioner for economy

"Vive la Republique!"

Nils Schmid, German MP and foreign policy spokesperson for the Spd party

"The worst is avoided, the RN cannot form a governing majority." 

"The president is politically weakened, even if he retains a central role in view of the unclear majority situation. Forming a government will be complicated."

French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal

"Tonight, the [political] extremes have no absolute majority, thanks to our determination and the strength of our values. We (centrists) have three times more MPs than were predicted at the start of this campaign."

"Being prime minister was the honour of my life. This evening the political group that I represent no longer has a majority and tomorrow morning I will submit my resignation to the president."

Far-right leader Marine Le Pen, National Rally party

"The tide is rising. It did not rise high enough this time, but it continues to rise and, therefore, our victory is only delayed."

"I have too much experience to be disappointed by a result where we double our number of deputies." 

“Emmanuel Macron must now manage the situation that he imposed on the French ... [with] the left, in reality with the influence of the extreme left leading ... I don’t know how he will do it."

Jordan Bardella, head of the far-right National Rally 

"I say tonight with gravity that depriving millions of French people of the possibility of seeing their ideas brought to power will never be a viable destiny for France."

"Tonight, by deliberately trying to paralyse our institutions, Emmanuel Macron has not simply pushed the country towards uncertainty and instability, he has deprived the French people of any response to their day-to-day difficulties for many months to come."

"In the midst of a purchasing power crisis, with insecurity and disorder hitting the country hard, France is deprived of a majority, of a government to act, and therefore of a clear course to turn France around."

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, hard-left France Unbowed party

"The will of the people must be strictly respected ... The defeat of the president and his coalition is clearly confirmed. The president must accept his defeat."

"The prime minister must go. The president must invite the New Popular Front to govern."

Raphaël Glucksmann, Socialist Party

"We're ahead, but we're in a divided parliament ... so we're going to have to act like grown-ups."

"We're going to have to talk, to discuss, to engage in dialogue ... The balance of power has shifted in parliament ... and there's going to be a fundamental change of political culture."

Olivier Faure, Socialist Party leader

"We have to do our utmost to reunite the country. The RN (National Rally) had made the choice of dividing French citizens from one another. We must put the country back on a clear path and the New Popular Front must take the lead in this new chapter of our history."

François Hollande, former Socialist Party president

"The New Popular Front must realise what it has to do today. It is the strongest party in the National Assembly. It does not have an absolute majority. As I speak, it has a relative majority."

Édouard Philippe, former prime minister and Horizons centrist party leader

"We're going to have to listen to the country, look the world and reality in the face, and work hard to propose a coherent, solid project to the French people."

"This work, I'm ready to say, cannot be the work of a single man or a small group of experts, it must bring together the widest possible range of intelligence and experience."

"The credibility of our country could be damaged by this and the centrist political forces must, without compromise, make an agreement to stabilise politics but without France Unbowed and the RN."

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters)