Left-wing forces rise in French election
France faces Hung Parliament and severe political uncertainty After the early legislative elections held yesterday, none of the three major political factions, the left, the center and the right, won an absolute majority.
The left-wing New Popular Front won 178 seats, ranking first; the centrist ruling coalition led by President Emmanuel Macron won 150 seats, ranking second; the anti-immigration party National Rally led by Marine Le Pen and its allies won 142 seats.
The preliminary results upended widespread predictions of a resounding victory for the National Rally. A scramble by centrists and the left to form a “Republican Front” to thwart the National Rally in a second round of voting appears to have paid off. Candidates across France have withdrawn from the three-way race and called for unity against Marine Le Pen’s party.
The election was a major blow for Macron, who lost more than a third of the seats held by his party and its allies as he faces a deeply divided lower house of parliament, the impossibility of an immediate governing coalition and the start of the Paris Olympics in less than three weeks. What might happen next.
detail: The New Popular Front campaigned on a platform of raising the monthly minimum wage, lowering the statutory retirement age, reintroducing a wealth tax and freezing energy and gas prices. Rather than slashing immigration as the National Rally had promised, the coalition said it would improve asylum procedures. Learn more about the Alliance.
More information: Why some rural voters are National Rally Supporters.
Israelis call for elections and ceasefire
Nine months after the devastating Hamas-led attack on October 7, Israelis Nationwide anti-government protestsThe demonstrations paralyzed traffic as protesters called on Israel to hold new elections and reach a ceasefire with Hamas to release hostages who have been held for months.
Progress toward resuming negotiations has been made despite the ongoing fighting in Gaza, with Israel striking near a UN school on Saturday. But many Israelis worry that the ceasefire could be scuttled not only by Hamas but also by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who they say might prioritize his own political survival over a deal that could threaten it.
At the border: The situation on Israel’s northern border remains volatile, with Lebanon’s Hezbollah group firing rockets, drones and anti-tank missiles into Israeli territory.
In Rafah: The Israeli military invited journalists into Gaza City under supervision. Adam Goldman, a New York Times reporter, described It was a mess and a ruin.
Concerns grow about President Biden’s candidacy
At least four senior House Democrats I told my colleague yesterday on a private phone call It’s time for President Biden to end his campaign, according to people present at the meeting, reflecting growing concerns among top Democrats about the viability of his candidacy.
More and more Democrats are coming from all ideological corners of the party Calls for Biden to withdraw from the racewith questions raised about his age, mental acuity and fitness for public office. Some donors are growing uneasy, and insiders worry that the Biden campaign’s strategy — to turn the 2024 election into a referendum on Donald Trump — has been derailed by a poor presidential debate performance.
Biden: The president has steadfastly rejected suggestions that he should withdraw from the race, and he Spent yesterday in Philadelphiatrying to assure the voters who helped him win in 2020 that he still has the ability to defeat Trump.
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The Orient Express evokes a five-star luxury train with all the belles-epoque amenities. A modern version of the sleeper car costs nearly $50,000, but you can do it yourself and travel from Paris to Istanbul—private compartment included—for less than $1,000. Our correspondent Test Drive.
Life experience: Jon Landau is an Oscar-winning producer and longtime collaborator of director James Cameron. Died at the age of 63.
How Olympic athletes train in the heat
This month’s Paris Olympics could be the hottest in history. Olympic training now tests not only athletes’ strength and speed but also their ability to withstand the heat, and the best preparation is to train in sweltering weather for two to three weeks.
Some runners use a thermal suit, which one coach called a “marshmallow suit,” to simulate these conditions. The Belgian hockey team trains in a heat chamber set at 122 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius). Other athletes stay cool by donning ice vests or grabbing ice balloons before a race. See how they do it Prepare for extreme temperatures.
That’s all for today’s briefing. See you tomorrow. – Natasha
PS From a restaurant opened by a “pizza fanatic” in Amsterdam to spinach crust in Düsseldorf, Germany, readers share their 15 of their favorite pizza restaurants.
Contact Natasha and the team briefing@nytimes.com.
