French president Emmanuel Macron has appealed to his opponents to end the nation’s political deadlock by joining his minority government in voting through laws in parliament,  though he acknowledged it was not the moment for a broad government of national unity.

“We’ll have to build compromises,” Macron said in a televised address to the nation three days after his government lost control of the National Assembly in legislative elections. “We have to learn to govern and legislate differently.” 

In April, Macron became the first French president in 20 years to win a second term, but two months later his centrist political alliance fell short of a majority in two rounds of voting for the assembly. The government now faces two powerful opposition blocs led by politicians of  the far left and far right.