French PM vows to resign following legislative elections defeat

INA-  sources


French Prime Minister Gabriel Attal announced Sunday night to submit his resignation to French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday, following the defeat of Macron's centrist coalition in the legislative elections.
"This evening, the political group that I represented in this campaign, has achieved three times more than the seats predicted in the past weeks, but does not have a majority," Attal said in a televised speech.
"Being faithful to the republican tradition and in accordance with my principles, I will submit my resignation tomorrow morning to the President of the Republic," he said.
"Since the beginning of the campaign, I warned of three risks, the risk of an absolute majority by the Unsubmissive France, the risk of an absolute majority by the National Rally, and the risk of the disappearance of a movement that incarnates our ideas and values," Attal noted, adding that these three risks are avoided by the French people.
"I will never accept that millions of our fellow citizens choose to vote for the extremes. To the French I say: I respect each of you. Some lives are more difficult than others and it is these lives that we must make better," he said.
Saying that the French people may feel a form of "uncertainty" about the future following the results of the legislative elections, Attal stressed that he would "obviously" assume his role as prime minister for as long as it requires, given that France is to hold the Olympics Games in three weeks.
Although Attal would submit his resignation to Macron on Monday, the latter doesn't have to accept it immediately.


source:  Xinhua