The New Popular Front’s win was a veritable plot twist as France braced for a far-right government. But experts say President Emmanuel Macron could take advantage of the left's infighting — starting with a big win for centrists on Thursday.

By Elizabeth Pineau, Ingrid Melander PARIS (Reuters) -French lawmakers voted on Thursday in a tight race to elect the assembly's president, in a ballot that could be key to who calls the shots in the country's politics for years to come following this month's inconclusive election.

French President Emmanuel Macron took a huge gamble in dissolving parliament and calling for the elections after his centrists were trounced in European elections on June 9.

The far-right National Rally was ahead after the first day of voting in France, but opposing parties made changes meant to make it harder for the party to win an absolute majority in the National Assembly.

By Muslim Mirror Staff The coalition of the French left has emerged as the leading force in the high-stakes legislative elections held on July 8, surpassing a surge from the far-right but falling short of a majority.

A very fragmented French parliament meets on Thursday for the first time since an inconclusive snap election to appoint the assembly's president, in a ballot that could be key to who calls the shots in French politics for years to come.

French lawmakers on Thursday re-elected a member of President Emmanuel Macron's centrist bloc as president of parliament's lower house, a first breakthrough in attempts to form a majority amid deadlock following snap elections.

A left-wing bloc that won the most seats in legislative elections this month called the re-election of Yaël Braun-Pivet, an ally of President Emmanuel Macron, a denial of democracy.