Macron refuses French PM's resignation after chaotic election results

French President Emmanual Macron refused the resignation Monday of the country's prime minister, asking him on Monday to remain temporarily as the head of the government after chaotic election results left the government in limbo.

French voters split the legislature on the left, center and far-right, leaving no faction even close to the majority needed to form a government. The results from Sunday's vote raised the risk of paralysis for the European Union's second-largest economy.

President Emmanuel Macron gambled that his decision to call snap elections would give France a moment of clarification, but the outcome showed the opposite, less than three weeks before the start of the Paris Olympics thrusts the country on the international stage.

France's main share index opened with a dip, but quickly recovered, possibly because markets had feared an outright victory for the far right or the leftist coalition.

Prime Minister Gabriel Attal had said he would remain in office if needed bu