French parliament opens new era, after Macron lost majority

By JADE LE DELEY and SYLVIE CORBET
Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — France’s lower house of parliament has opened its first session since President Emmanuel Macron’s party lost its majority. It is expected Tuesday to elect a woman as speaker for the first time. Legislative elections earlier this month shook up France’s political landscape. Macron’s centrist alliance still has the most seats but no longer enough to comfortably adopt laws. The leftist Nupes coalition is the biggest opposition force, and hopes to challenge Macron’s plans to cut taxes and raise the retirement age from 62 to 65. The far-right party of Marine Le Pen won a record number of seats,. All three plan competing measures aimed at coping with high inflation.