Macron party loses majority as far-right sends shockwaves in France

French President Emmanuel Macron's alliance has lost its majority in the French parliament, winning 245 seats in the 577-member chamber in elections, according to full results published by the Interior Ministry.

The early Monday results mean that Macron's Together alliance is well short of the 289 seats needed for an overall majority. 

The NUPES left-wing coalition won 135 seats and the far-right National Rally 89 seats, according to an AFP news agency count based on the results published by the ministry.

"This situation constitutes a risk for our country, given the challenges that we have to confront," Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said in a televised statement, vowing: "We will work from tomorrow to build a working majority."

The outcome severely tarnished Macron's April presidential election victory when he defeated the far-right to be the first French president to win a second term in over two decades.

Macron’s government will still have the ability to rule, but only by bargaining with legislators. 

The centrists could try to negotiate on a case by case basis with lawmakers from the center-left and from the conservative party — with the goal of preventing opposition lawmakers from being numerous enough to reject the proposed measures.

READ MORE: French President Macron set to lose parliament majority – projections

'Above all an electoral failure'

The strong performance of both Marine Le Pen's National Rally and NUPES, led by hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melenchon, is expected to make it harder for Macron to implement the agenda he was reelected on in May, including tax cuts and raising France’s retirement age from 62 to 65.

The coalition, formed in May after the left splintered for April's presidential elections, brings together Socialists, the hard left, Communists and greens.

Melenchon called on Sunday's results "above all an electoral failure" for Macron.

Le Pen hailed a historic result for her party, saying it would send "by far" its highest number of MPs to the next National Assembly.

Macron had hoped to stamp his second term with an ambitious programme of tax cuts, welfare reform and raising the retirement age. All that is now in question.

READ MORE: Macron's second term on line as polls open in French parliamentary election

Political paralysis

There could now potentially be weeks of political deadlock as the president seeks to reach out to new parties.

The most likely option would be an alliance with the Republicans (or LR), the traditional party of the French right, which has 61 MPs.

LR president Christian Jacob however made clear there would be no easy partnership, saying his party intended to "stay in opposition".

Macron had called on voters to hand his coalition a "solid majority" last week, adding "nothing would be worse than adding French disorder to the world disorder".

READ MORE: Macron party neck and neck with leftists in parliamentary vote: projections