French election results – live: Macron asks PM Attal to stay on after Le Pen’s far-right suffer shock loss

French president Emmanuel Macron has refused the resignation of the country’s prime minister Gabriel Attal, asking him on Monday to remain temporarily as the head of the government after chaotic election results left the government in limbo.

French voters split the legislature on the left, centre and far right, leaving no faction even close to the majority needed to form a government.

The results from Sunday’s vote raised the risk of paralysis for the European Union’s second-largest economy.

Mr Attal had said he would remain in office if needed but offered his resignation Monday morning.

Mr Macron, who named him just seven months ago, immediately asked him to stay on “to ensure the stability of the country”. Mr Macron’s top political allies joined the meeting with Mr Attal at the presidential palace.

Marine Le Pen ’s far-right party suffered a shock loss in the second and final round of national elections just weeks after it looked like they could finally seize power in Paris.

National Rally (NR) managed to win 143 seats during Sunday’s election, a significant increase on the 88 MPs it had in the previous assembly but far less than the 33 per cent of the vote they won in the first round election last month.