Communist André Chassaigne was chosen on Wednesday, July 17, as the sole candidate of the New Popular Front to run for president of the National Assembly, the left-wing coalition groups indicated on the eve of the election. After lengthy negotiations, the Puy-de-Dôme MP benefited from the withdrawal of environmentalist candidate Cyrielle Chatelain. He will face in particular the outgoing Macronist president Yaël Braun-Pivet and the centrist Charles de Courson, from the independent Liot group.
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Aged 74, André Chassaigne is one of the pillars of the Palais Bourbon where he has sat since 2002 and chaired the communist group since 2012. He has notably invested in the revaluation of small agricultural pensions. In front of the press with the other leaders of the left-wing group, the parliamentarian insisted on the “ collective legitimacy” of the New Popular Front for “chair the assembly” and the will of the left to “respond to everyday difficulties“.
“Elected from rural areas“, he also pleaded for a “form of pacification” in France “damaged“, while LFI’s allies have often been criticized for their attitude in the chamber.
Environmentalist Cyrielle Chatelain considered that André Chassaigne’s candidacy was the “more likely to win” on the left, after removing his for “not to prolong a deadlock situation“. The leader of the rebellious deputies Mathilde Panot has “pleased that a step has been taken in the Assembly“.
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The New Popular Front – LFI, socialists, ecologists and communists – needed several hours of meetings to decide. And the choice was made while discussions were completely interrupted to propose a candidate for the post of Prime Minister.
The Insoumis are opposed to the personality put forward by the PS for Matignon, the climate specialist Laurence Tubiana, whom LFI considers too “Macron-compatible“.
On Wednesday, the head of the environmentalists, Marine Tondelier, said:angry” And “disgusted” by the leadership war between the rebels and the socialists to propose a name for Matignon, launching an appeal for the immediate resumption of negotiations.
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