Going into France’s final round of elections yesterday, pollsters penciled in a historic victory for the country’s far-right party, National Rally.

Turns out, they were wrong about the right. They should have been looking left.

Early projections showed the New Popular Front, an alliance of socialists, greens, and a far-left party, stunned the country by scoring the most seats in the National Assembly, the most powerful house of France’s parliament. In the first round of elections, National Rally had the strongest showing after speaking to voters’ concerns about inflation and immigration.

But the gap between rounds proved crucial. In the past week, more than 200 candidates on the left and center dropped out of the race in an attempt to consolidate votes and create a bulwark against the National Rally, which they consider a threat to French democratic institutions and European stability. It worked.

What happens now?

Political wrangling and gridlock. No party, including President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist alliance, won an absolute majority in the National Assembly, so it’s time for what poli-sci majors call “coalition building” to form power-sharing agreements.

That means pro-business Macron might have to accept parts of the left’s ambitious economic agenda. They want to:

• Raise the minimum wage.
• Reinstate a wealth tax Macron axed and increase the top marginal tax rate to 90%.
• Lower the retirement age to 60 (Macron pushed it up from 62 to 64).
• Eliminate certain tax breaks and credits for businesses.

Some analysts say these programs, as advertised, would cost way too much given France’s dire public finances, and other critics say it would scare off multinationals from investing in the world’s seventh-largest economy.

Looking ahead…France is now like a house of quarreling roommates less than three weeks away from hosting their biggest party in years: the Olympics.—NF

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Beryl bears down on Texas. The major storm, which already caused 11 deaths in the Caribbean, is expected to regain hurricane status before slamming into the Texas coastline this morning. Officials in several coastal areas have asked tourists to cut their Fourth of July vacations short and placed beach towns under evacuation orders. How is Beryl this strong one week into its life? It’s been refueled by searing water temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. Beryl has gained 35 mph in wind speed in 24 hours or less three times, per the AP.

President Biden faces a crucial week. Congress returns to DC for the first time since the presidential debate sent Democrats into panic mode over Biden’s candidacy, and you can expect extensive deliberations—both private and public—about his future at the head of the ticket. So far, five out of 213 congressional Democrats have explicitly called on him to quit the race. Some Democratic donors are reportedly floating a “blitz primary” that would have Biden drop out and potential candidates campaign for votes in weekly forums moderated by celebs like Oprah and Taylor Swift.

Israelis block roads to protest government. Marking nine months since Hamas’s attack on Oct. 7, thousands of Israelis protested against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, blocking key intersections across the country and calling for a deal to bring home the hostages. Cease-fire talks are expected to resume today, but Netanyahu stressed that any deal he agrees to needs to allow Israel to resume fighting and achieve its war aims, a demand Hamas has previously rejected. In Gaza, journalists were permitted to visit Rafah for the first time since Israeli troops invaded the city two months ago. They described devastation and a “dust-covered ghost town.”

You probably haven’t heard of Georgetown, TX, but it’s been the fastest-growing US city for three straight years thanks mainly to two people: Gam-gam and Pop-pop. Within Georgetown is a planned community tailored to residents 55 and older called Sun City, whose 17,000 occupants are driving the Georgetown economy, per the Wall Street Journal.

“It’s like they’re at college except…they have $3 million in the bank,” Georgetown Mayor John Schroeder said. The median household income in Sun City is $84,000, in line with the rest of the US, but its residents are spending big from pension checks, stock portfolios, and retirement savings—and most have already paid off their homes. “We have more fun than our daughter,” one retired resident told the WSJ.

They definitely have more cash. While most young adults can only stare at Zillow listings and dream, Americans 55 and older possess ~70% of household wealth, up from 50% in 1989, per the Federal Reserve. Boomers also account for 45% of US personal spending, up from 29% three decades ago, according to Moody’s Analytics.

Older people are being targeted. But it’s not a phishing scam—according to a survey of nearly 60 developers, about half are going after the boomer dollar by working on age-restricted communities like Sun City.—DL

Skills pay the bills. Sure, but do y’know which skills healthcare employers wanna see on your nursing resume? We can wait…okay, Nurse Blake’s comin’ to your rescue. The beloved entrepreneur and comedian teamed up with Indeed to give you the scoop on eight advantages to working in healthcare. Take a look.

On Saturday, four NASA volunteers emerged from a 3D-printed Mars habitat at Johnson Space Center in Houston after 378 days of confinement. The crew members—who did not reveal how long it took before someone cut their toenails in front of someone else—simulated a Mars mission inside the 17,000-square-foot habitat, which focused on simulated spacewalks, harvesting vegetables, and limited communication with the outside world. Let’s reward this group’s selfless act in the name of science by not spoiling Anyone but You for them.

Alec Baldwin will stand trial for involuntary manslaughter: Jury selection will begin Tuesday with the actor facing 18 months in prison for the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the Rust set nearly three years ago. Baldwin is accused of firing a handgun that killed Hutchins; he says he pulled back the hammer but not the trigger. Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, the former armorer for the movie, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for involuntary manslaughter in April.

NATO marks 75th anniversary in Washington: In 1949, NATO was founded in Washington, DC, as a mutual defense alliance to counter the Soviet Union. Seventy-five years later, leaders of the 32 member states are back in town for their annual summit beginning Tuesday, with a focus on “Trump-proofing” the alliance should the former president regain office and try to reduce American support.

Powell heads to Capitol Hill: Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will give updates on the economy to Congress on Tuesday and Wednesday, where he’ll likely be asked about the prospect of interest rate cuts. Those plans could become clearer on Thursday, when the consumer price index inflation report drops.

Everything else…

• The 21st season of The Bachelorette premieres on Monday.
• The semifinals for the Euros and Copa América take place on Tuesday and Wednesday. England may owe its success in penalty kicks to a water bottle.
• Wimbledon wraps up this weekend with the ladies’ singles final on Saturday and the men’s final on Sunday.