French President Macron rejects his PM Attal's resignation

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron rejected Prime Minister Gabriel Attal's resignation on Monday after the ruling party failed to secure a majority in the snap legislative elections, French news channel BFMTV reported.

Macron has asked Attal to remain as prime minister "for the moment" to ensure the country's stability, BFMTV reported, citing the presidential office, the Elysee, reports Xinhua news agency.

In the two rounds of legislative elections held on June 30 and July 7, Macron's centrist coalition finished second with 163 seats, trailing the left-wing parties' alliance, the New Popular Front (NFP), which secured a relative majority with 182 seats in the 577-member National Assembly.

The French president announced the dissolution of the National Assembly on June 9 and called for new legislative elections after his Renaissance party coalition suffered a heavy defeat in the European Parliament elections.