A loose alliance of French left-wing parties assembled for snap elections is poised to become the largest parliamentary bloc, surpassing the far right and President Emmanuel Macron’s coalition, as suggested by exit polls.

No single group secured an absolute majority in the Sunday runoff vote, leaving France in a state of political ambiguity with no clear route to forming a new government, just two days before a significant NATO summit and three weeks before the Paris Olympics.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal indicated his willingness to tender his resignation to Macron on Monday but expressed readiness to continue serving "as long as duty requires," particularly with the upcoming Games.

The New Popular Front (NFP), a coalition formed following Macron’s call for snap elections, united the previously divided Socialists, Greens, Communists, and the hard-left France Unbowed under one umbrella.

Projections indicated that the left-wing alliance was expected to secure between 172 and 215 seats, while Macron’s coalition was projected to gain 150 to 180 seats, with the National Rally (NR) surprisingly coming in third with 115 to 155 seats despite aiming for an absolute majority.

This marks a significant milestone for the far right but falls short of the triumph that would have been a rebuke for Macron, who initiated the snap election in an attempt to halt France’s drift towards political extremes.

Firebrand leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon, the leader of France Unbowed (LFI) and a contentious figure within the NFP coalition, demanded that the left be given the opportunity to form a government, highlighting the unity among the left-wing groups.

Veteran presidential candidate Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN) led the race after the first round on June 30, with opinion polls forecasting her as the leader of the largest party in parliament following the Sunday poll.

However, projections based on polling samples by major agencies showed no group on track for an absolute majority, with the left-wing NFP surpassing both Macron’s centrist Ensemble and Le Pen’s Eurosceptic RN.

Macron, yet to comment publicly on the projections, urged caution and in-depth analysis of the results, as per an aide quoted by AFP news agency.

In contrast, Le Pen stated, "The tide is rising. It did not rise high enough this time, but it continues to rise, and our victory has only been delayed."

‘Taken off guard’

Al Jazeera’s Natacha Butler, reporting from Paris, observed that people were caught off guard by the exit poll results.

The election campaign, the shortest in French history, was marred by threats, violence, and racist abuse targeting numerous candidates and canvassers.

Despite concerns about potential unrest post-announcement, the voter turnout remained high, emphasizing the imperative to uphold democratic values and the rule of law.