French President Emmanuel Macron began a crucial round of talks with representatives from across the political spectrum, amid signs that the left-wing New Popular Front (NPF) alliance could be ready to form a government after weeks of deadlock. Macron met on Friday morning with the NPF, which has claimed a mandate to govern after topping the second round of voting for France’s lower house, the National Assembly, on July 7. The NPF – consisting of the hard-left France Unbowed, the Socialists, the Communists and the Greens – has proposed civil servant Lucie Castets as its candidate for prime min…