Paris: France's far-right National Rally (RN) faced an unexpected defeat in a by-election late Sunday, which critics viewed as a consequence of the party’s recent attempt to bring down former Prime Minister Michel Barnier’s government. The narrow loss in the Ardennes reduced Marine Le Pen's RN representation to 124 lawmakers, though it remains the largest party in France’s 577-seat parliament. The RN has not commented on the defeat or acknowledged it on social media.

Meanwhile, President Emmanuel Macron continued his discussions with leftist leaders on Monday as he works to select a new prime minister. Marine Tondelier, leader of the Green party, remarked that the RN had "removed itself from the game," and its influence on national politics was diminishing due to its push to overthrow Barnier’s government.

In the by-election, independent candidate Lionel Vuibert, who is closely aligned with Macron’s centrist coalition, secured 50.9% of the vote in the second-round runoff, defeating RN’s Jordan Duflot, who had led the first round and supported the government's ousting. Duflot received 49.1%, with voter turnout at around 30%.

Vuibert’s win was hailed as a "strong signal" against those promoting censorship and chaos, according to center-right politician Xavier Bertrand. Former Prime Minister Gabriel Attal congratulated Vuibert, emphasizing his connection with voters and his focus on their daily concerns over the extremism of the RN.

The by-election followed the resignation of the previous RN lawmaker due to unspecified health issues. In an effort to boost Duflot’s campaign, RN president Jordan Bardella visited the district, but it was not enough to secure victory.

Le Pen's push to topple Barnier's government, in collaboration with the far left, was seen as a risky move that could alienate moderate conservatives, whom she needs for her anticipated 2027 presidential bid. Macron has indicated he aims to appoint a new prime minister quickly. However, Tondelier suggested that Macron should reconsider rushing appointments that might trigger further no-confidence motions.

Socialist Party leader Boris Vallaud declared on Monday that his party would only join the government if a left-wing prime minister is chosen. With 66 seats in the National Assembly, the Socialists, who had also voted to topple Barnier, could play a crucial role in the formation of a stable government, helping to fend off no-confidence motions from the left and the RN.