Victorious over his far-right rival in last month's presidential vote, centrist Emmanuel Macron now faces a gathering challenge from the left in France's upcoming legislative elections.
A government headed by hard-left veteran politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon is hardly a prospect Macron would relish at a time of crisis for the European Union. The French president would have to contend with a prime minister far apart ideologically from himself on crucial issues like France’s relationship with the 27-member nation bloc and the supplying of weapons to Ukraine.
