Yael Braun-Pivet Re-elected as Speaker of French National Assembly
Centrist politician Yael Braun-Pivet was re-elected as the Speaker of the French National Assembly on Thursday evening, securing a relative majority with 220 votes in the decisive third round of voting.
Veteran Communist deputy André Chassaigne came in second with 207 votes, while far-right candidate Sébastien Chenu received 141 votes.
“We have an immense responsibility today,” Braun-Pivet stated after her re-election. “We have no choice. We must agree, we must cooperate, and we must be able to seek compromises.”
Braun-Pivet called upon the newly elected deputies to “provide solutions” and to represent the French people with “new methods,” emphasizing the need for unity and collaboration in the legislative body.
According to French parliamentary law, if no candidate achieves an absolute majority in the first two rounds of voting, the candidate with a relative majority in the third round is elected Speaker.
The election of the Speaker follows the two rounds of legislative elections held on June 30 and July 7, where President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist coalition secured 163 seats, finishing second. The left-wing parties’ alliance, the New Popular Front (NFP), attained a relative majority with 182 seats in the 577-member National Assembly.
Braun-Pivet’s re-election is seen as a pivotal moment for France’s political landscape, as she aims to foster collaboration among diverse political factions within the Assembly. Her call for cooperation and compromise reflects the challenges faced by the French government in addressing key issues both domestically and on the international stage.
The re-election also holds significance for observers in Asia and around the world, as France continues to play a critical role in global affairs, including economic partnerships, international security, and cultural exchanges.
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Yael Braun-Pivet re-elected Speaker of French National Assembly
cgtn.com
