France: Macron's camp seeks allies, says 'it's going to be complicated'

Macron's camp fails to win absolute majority in parliament; will now seek alliances with other parties; risk of political paralysis if no deals

President Emmanuel Macron's centrist camp scrambled on Monday to secure support from rivals to salvage some of its reform agenda after weekend elections delivered a fragmented parliament that leaves France at risk of political paralysis.

The loss of his Ensemble alliance's absolute majority is a bitter setback for Macron, himself elected for a second term in April. French governments have long been used to having a lower house of parliament that shares their political line and largely rubber-stamps proposals.

Sunday's second-round vote left Ensemble as the biggest party, with a fledgling leftwing alliance determined to make its voice heard in second place,