French President Emmanuel Macron has confirmed that a new government will not be appointed before the conclusion of the Olympic Games in mid-August.
Macron invoked the importance of a “political ceasefire” during the Olympics, to avoid any disruption of the games, staged in Paris.
“We need to focus on the Games until mid-August,” Macron declared in an interview on Tuesday evening with France 2, France Inter and Franceinfo. After that, “depending on the progression of discussions, it will be my responsibility to appoint a Prime Minister tasked with forming a government,” he said.
The Olympic Games kick off in Paris on Friday. Macron had previously stated that the Games would represent a period of “political ceasefire.”
France is still searching for a government after no party managed to secure a clear majority in the second round of recent parliamentary elections.
Prior to Macron’s televised interview, the left-wing Nouveau Front Populaire (NFP) had proposed Lucie Castets, a senior civil servant, for the role of Prime Minister, after 16 days of negotiation.
The NFP emerged victorious in the parliamentary elections, but fell short of an absolute majority.
