French parties brush off Macron appeal to unblock parliament

FILE PHOTO: A TV screen in a bar shows French President Emmanuel Macron while he addresses the nation, in Cambrai, France June 22, 2022. REUTERS/Pascal Rossignol

PARIS (Reuters) - French parties from left and right brushed off President Emmanuel Macron's appeal for help to overcome a hung parliament on Thursday, demanding he clarify what compromises he was ready to make to win their backing.

Before heading off to a European Union summit in Brussels, Macron late on Wednesday made a televised speech in which he acknowledged that this month's parliament elections had laid bare "deep divisions" across French society.