Macron's protege Attal offers resignation as Le Pen claims President's position 'untenable'

Exit polls suggested the leftist New Popular Front will return the largest number of MPs, with Ensemble leapfrogging National Rally into second.

Confirming his intention to step down, Attal said: "Even though we had three times better results than it being envisaged, it doesn't mean that it's a majority.

"So, faithful to the Republican tradition, I will actually withdraw tomorrow morning."

He added: "I think about my duty to respect the sovereignty of the people. So that's the image that I have of my functions as a prime minister.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this evening there's a new era. There's a new era, as far as I'm concerned, from tomorrow."

Attal had also offered to resign immediately after National Rally topped last month's EU Parliamentary Election poll.

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However, Macron rejected his offer and instead held snap legislative elections.

Exit polls suggest left-wing New Popular Front is forecast to take between 172 and 205 seats as France's National Assembly braces for a hung parliament.

Macron's centrist coalition looks poised to receive around 150 to 175 seats, leaving National Rally languishing down in third between 115 and 150 MPs.

The French President is currently analysing the exit poll and will wait for the full picture to emerge before taking the necessary next decisions.

A statement said: "The President, as guarantor of our institutions, will respect the choice of the French people."

Macron will "wait" before making any decision about the new government.

Despite winning the first round and returning 37 MPs, Le Pen desribed Macron's position as "untenable".

Le Pen claimed National Rally's "victory has been merely delayed", adding: "The seeds of tomorrow's victory [are seen] in today's result."

National Rally's poor performance came after Macron entered a deal with anti-Le Pen candidates to stand down and minimise the number of populist right MPs elected.

Bardella later condemned the arrangement as the fruit of an “alliance of dishonour”.

Responding to the exit polls, Bardella said: "We've been thrown into the arms of the extreme left and of Jean-Luc Melenchon."

He added: "We will not go into any political compromise we don't want to have power for the sake of having power.

"I will be with you until victory... this evening is just the beginning."

The exit polls left France Unbowed leader Jean-Luc Melenchon calling on Macron to ask the left to govern.

He claimed Macron must admit defeat and enable the New Popular Front to run the country with a minority administration.

Melenchon said: "The New Popular Front is ready to govern. And after all, it's the only alternative which has got a very organised program and a very detailed program.

"The elements on the left are united and have shown that they were able to deal with this extraordinary historical situation. Once again, it saved the Republic, we saved the Republic."

There was speculation Macron could quit if National Rally won a majority in the French Parliament.

However, given National Rally's disappointing performance, the threat seems to have been abated.

National Rally already elected 39 MPs in the first ballot, with an additional 32 winning from the leftist New Popular Front.