It is not quite cohabitation, because Macron's "together"-branded party will still be the largest in the French national assembly following Sunday's general election final round. One imagines that Ensemble will be able to strike a deal with conservatives so that there will be stable government. However, the president will have to make compromises and it is unlikely that his modernisation project will be realised in full.
A worrying sign is that not only did the socialist grouping make gains, but so also did Marine le Pen's neo-Nazis, against all expectations. In the past, as a BBC correspondent explained prior to the election, the National Front in its various guises has held no more than a handful of seats because its support has been very localised. In 2022 they have gained wider acceptance.
The implications for the UK are likely to be less help from France in processing refugees and other migrants, and pressure on the European Parliament and Commission to take a stronger line on EU-UK trade.
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