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00:00Some of them are no strangers to the National Assembly, others are picking up their security
00:05badges for the first time.
00:07But as left-wing MPs settle into parliament, behind the scenes negotiations are intensifying.
00:14The new Popular Front leftist bloc says President Emmanuel Macron should call on it to govern
00:20now.
00:21The Greens, Socialists, Communists and the hard-left France Unbowed together have the
00:25most seats in the National Assembly, but fall far short of an absolute majority.
00:29For the past two days, the president has been acting as if nothing had happened in this
00:35country, even though he was the one who triggered the lightning dissolution of parliament.
00:40And he's now acting as if the French people hadn't just voted.
00:43We don't agree with that.
00:44In a democracy, tradition dictates that the first parliamentary group should govern the
00:48country.
00:51The leftists have yet to decide though who amongst their ranks they want as a prime minister,
00:55but plan to put forward a name by the end of the week.
00:59Socialist leader Olivier Faure on Tuesday said he was ready to take on the role, but
01:03that he would only do so in dialogue with his new Popular Front partners.
01:08Even if they come to an agreement, the prime minister also needs the approval of the president
01:12and the hung parliament.
01:14Given the scale of the challenge, the Greens are calling not to rush the decision.
01:20Macron's focusing on the next prime minister, but you know very well that for a name to
01:24be put forward, other considerations must be thought through, within the government
01:29and within the National Assembly.
01:31So that's what we're discussing and we need to give it time.
01:35But the horse trading isn't limited to the left.
01:38The second biggest bloc behind the new Popular Front, Macron's camp, is hoping to form a
01:43broad centrist coalition, eyeing both the centre-left and Les Républicains on the right.