French socialists win parliamentary majority

Francoise Hollande

The Socialist Party and its affiliates secured 307 seats more than the 289 needed for a majority in the 577-seat National Assembly.

The left-wing triumph means Mr Hollande, will not need to rely on the Greens, who won 16 seats, or the Communist-dominated Left Front, with 10 deputies, to pass laws.

The centre-left already controls the upper house of parliament, the Senate.
Finance Minister Pierre Moscovici called the result a vote of confidence in Mr Hollande's government that would enable it to forge ahead with its economic and eurozone policies. "Europe's future is at stake in the weeks ahead," he said.

The mainstream conservatives, who oppose Mr Hollande's plans to raise taxes on the rich, won 224 seats.

Read more: French socialists win parliamentary majority - RTÉ News