Gilles Pennelle, the director general of France's far-right Rassemblement National (RN) party, has resigned following the party's unexpected defeat in the legislative elections.

Pennelle, who was elected as a Member of the European Parliament just a month ago, stepped down 24 hours after the second round of voting.

While officially attributed to his new role in the European Parliament, insiders suggest the resignation is linked to the failure of the party's 'Matignon Plan,' which aimed to secure a majority in the National Assembly.

Pennelle was the chief architect of this strategy, which included vetting 577 candidates for potential snap elections.

RN's president, Jordan Bardella, acknowledged 'errors' and said he would 'assume his share of responsibility,' hinting at a broader reorganization of the party in the wake of this setback.