'Sense of relief' in Berlin about French vote, govt spokesman says

The German government has indirectly welcomed the outcome of the parliamentary elections in France.

"First of all, there is a certain sense of relief that things that were feared have not materialized," said government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit in Berlin on Monday.

"Time will tell and France will decide what happens with this election result," he added.

In the decisive round of elections to France's National Assembly on Sunday, the left-wing alliance surprisingly came first, ahead of President Emmanuel Macron's centrist camp in second place and Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN) in third.

Hebestreit did not comment further on the election results. However, he referred to the close Franco-German relationship. Chancellor Olaf Scholz will certainly have the opportunity to discuss the situation with French President Emmanuel Macron at the upcoming NATO summit in Washington, the spokesman said.