Left-wing party founder Mélenchon sees mandate to govern in France

The founder of the hard-left La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) party said he has a clear mandate to govern following the surprising electoral success of the left-wing alliance he formed for Sunday's French parliamentary elections.

"The president has a duty to call on the New Popular Front to govern," Jean-Luc Mélenchon said after the first projections were published on Sunday evening showing his alliance on top.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal from President Emmanuel Macron's centrist camp must go, he demanded.

Macron should concede defeat, Mélenchon said, while ruling out negotiations on a merger with Macron's camp.

According to initial projections, the NFP is surprisingly ahead after the second round of the parliamentary elections in France.

The far-right National Rally fell to third place after topping the polls in the first round, now ending up behind President Emmanuel Macron's centrist camp. No camp is likely to achieve an absolute majority of 289 seats.

France's divided left only united a few weeks ago to form the NFP for the parliamentary elections. There is a dispute within the left, particularly over Mélenchon's leadership.

The populist, who stands out with his eurosceptic statements and is clearly pro-Palestinian, is heavily criticized even within his own party.

The left-wing alliance of leftists, Communists, Socialists and Greens does not have a clear leadership. Nor does it have a common programme.