Surprise By-Election Upset: A Blow to France's Far-Right National Rally

France's far-right National Rally suffered a by-election loss in the Ardennes, signaling waning influence. The loss has been seen as a backlash against their recent political maneuvers. An independent with ties to Macron's coalition won the seat, while attention turns to Macron's search for a new prime minister.

In a surprising political twist, France's far-right National Rally (RN) faced a significant setback after losing a closely watched by-election in the Ardennes region on Sunday. Critics argue that the defeat represents voter discontent with the party's recent attempts to challenge former Prime Minister Michel Barnier's government.

This narrow loss leaves Marine Le Pen's RN with 124 seats in the 577-seat parliament. Notably absent from their social media accounts was any mention of the loss. Meanwhile, President Emmanuel Macron met with leftist leaders on Monday, as he continues his search for a new prime minister.

The by-election saw Lionel Vuibert, running as an independent aligned with Macron's coalition, emerge victorious with 50.9% of the vote. Vuibert's win came amidst low turnout, delivering a message against the extremities led by Le Pen, while Macron is urged to approach governmental appointments with caution to avoid rapid decisions that could provoke further no-confidence motions.

(With inputs from agencies.)