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The elections risk resulting in a lower house without a majority capable of supporting the executive. Hence the fear of a Belgian scenario: that of a country with a government resigning for several months.
Almost all polls predict it for the moment: France could, on the evening of the second round of legislative elections, Sunday July 7, find itself without a clear majority in the National Assembly. In this configuration, where none of the three major political blocs (New Popular Front, presidential alliance, extreme right) would obtain more than 288 deputies – of the 577 in the lower house of Parliament – nor would he be able to forge a coalition with another bloc, the President should have some difficulty in appointing a Prime Minister. And therefore a government to run the country.
What, then, does the Constitution provide? Can a government without support from the National Assembly be maintained, when the President will not be able to dissolve for a year? Can the country operate “without government”, as was the case in Belgium five years ago?
“The Constitution of the Fifth Republic was written to be able to govern without a majority”
“If the Assembly has been dissolved, let us first note that the current government has not resigned, it is therefore still in office, specifies the former socialist deputy and lecturer in public law at the University of Toulouse, Sébastien Denaja
