In a recent television interview, French President Emmanuel Macron firmly rejected the idea of allowing the left to form a government despite winning the most seats in the snap parliamentary elections held this summer. Macron's comments further deepened the political divide in the country, drawing criticism from his adversaries.

During the interview, Macron dismissed the candidate for prime minister put forward by the pan-left New Popular Front (NFP) alliance just minutes before the interview. He raised doubts about whether the left, despite falling short of an absolute majority, truly had the necessary majority to govern. Macron emphasized the importance of making compromises, stating that the French legislature should follow the example of other European democracies.

His remarks infuriated his opponents, with Green leader Marine Tondelier accusing Macron of being "totally disconnected from reality." Socialist leader Olivier Faure described the interview as "a criminal diversion."

Following days of negotiations, the NFP finally settled on a little-known Paris city official, Lucie Castets, as their candidate for prime minister. However, Macron questioned whether Castets could garner support beyond the left-wing factions in parliament. The left, who won the majority of seats in the June 30 and July 7 election rounds, has repeatedly advocated for the opportunity to form a government.

Traditionally, the French president appoints a prime minister from the party that holds the majority in the National Assembly. However, the absence of a clear majority among any party or alliance has thrown French politics into turmoil, with both the left and Macron's liberals engaging in a power struggle to govern the country.

Macron revealed that he did not intend to appoint a new prime minister until mid-August in order to ensure stability during the Olympic Games, set to take place from July 26 to August 11. Since the snap elections, France has been led by a caretaker government following the resignation of former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal after the centrists suffered heavy losses.

The decision to delay appointing a new government further incensed the left-wing opposition. Left-wing lawmaker Sandrine Rousseau criticized Macron, accusing him of intentionally stalling in order to prevent the left from claiming victory.

In addition, Macron condemned the far-left's collaboration with far-right leader Marine Le Pen's National Rally to table a bill that aimed to repeal his flagship pensions reform. He expressed his dismay at the alliance, stating that it was unforeseen for the far left to cooperate with the far right.

While Macron did not disclose the specifics of the coalition he had in mind, he highlighted immigration and security as crucial issues that needed to be addressed. These remarks have reignited speculation about a potential alliance between Macron's liberals and the conservatives in governing France.

Last week, Macron experienced a political win when a cross-party compromise was reached with the Republican Right political group to reelect centrist Yaël Braun-Pivet as the president of the National Assembly. In an optimistic tone, Macron described the upcoming Olympic Games as a metaphor for France's political challenges, emphasizing the importance of cross-party cooperation.

As the country eagerly awaits the Paris Olympics 2024, Macron's denial of the left's bid for government formation has sparked controversy and intensified the ongoing political tensions within France.