Senate blow for Macron as he pushes through unpopular reforms
Emmanuel Macron’s centrist party suffered its first electoral blow on Sunday as rival conservatives dominated French Senate elections.
The results comes as the French president embarks on pushing through unpopular changes to labour law and other reforms he hopes will reinvigorate the economy.
Partial results showed the centre-right Republican Party on track to keep its majority after Sunday’s vote for about half of the Senate’s 348 seats. Senators are not chosen by the public but by 75,000 elected officials - mayors, legislators, regional and local councillors - across the country.
French broadcasters forecast the Republicans having between 146 and 156 seats in the new Senate, up from 142.
François Patriat, of Macron’s La République En Marche, said it was expected to win between 20 and 30 seats - far less than the 50 it was aiming for. “I wouldn’t say it’s a success,” Patriat said on BFM television about Sunday’s result.
Macron could still pass his reforms despite the election result, because the lower house - where he holds a majority - has the final say in legislation and the Republicans in the Senate support many of his pro business policies.
The Senate voting system tends to give an advantage to local politicians from traditional parties instead of candidates of Macron’s party, many of whom are political newcomers. Many local officials are upset by Macron’s plan to slash the budgets of local authorities.
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