47 days. This is the duration, albeit interrupted by a historic Olympic interlude, that separates the series of meetings that is looming at the Elysée and the second round of early legislative elections. Since that date, the country has been swimming between two waters. No political party has managed to establish itself as a sufficiently solid majority, due to a tripartite division of the political scene.
All eyes have been on the head of state to sort out the situation. But Emmanuel Macron has so far refused to appoint a new Prime Minister, taking advantage of the dissensions within the New Popular Front (NFP) and the numerical inferiority of the National Rally. Finally breaking his silence on August 16, the President of the Republic invited all party leaders as well as the presidents of parliamentary groups to gather at the Elysée Palace.
In the meantime, each camp has sharpened its weapons. “We have been working on it all summer,” claim the four parties making up the New Popular Front – the new electoral alliance of the left – in a letter addressed to the French. They say they are “ready” to govern, justifying that “in all parliamentary democracies, the coalition that comes out on top must be able to form a government.” Published this Thursday, August 22, the day before the long-awaited meeting, the letter also denounces “the inaction of the President of the Republic,” deemed “serious and harmful.” The NFP delegation will be the first political party received by Emmanuel Macron this Friday, at 10:30 a.m.
The beginnings of the New Popular Front were not the easiest, however. The alliance of left-wing parties, with 193 seats in the Assembly, took almost three weeks to agree on a name for Matignon. When the name of senior civil servant Lucie Castets was found, three days before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, the president did not deign to pay attention, preferring to proclaim the Olympic truce. But it is in her company that the NFP is preparing to join the Elysée. “The meeting will be led by Lucie Castets, to whom we have decided to give a special role,” Patrick Kanner, leader of the Socialist senators, told Public Senate.
The left in the turbulence zone
But the unity of the New Popular Front is constantly threatened by La France Insoumise (LFI). In an interview with L’Express, Patrick Kanner notes that Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s party “has been playing the rubber band game for several weeks now, seeking conflict with the other members of the NFP”. The former Minister of Urban Affairs, Youth and Sports mentioned in particular the publications X – formerly Twitter – by Sophia Chikirou, attacking François Hollande. But he especially deplores the column published in The Sunday TribuneAugust 18, by LFI.
In the latter, the rebellious executives demand the dismissal of the President of the Republic if he refuses to give Lucie Castets the keys to Matignon. Patrick Kanner was followed in his criticism by his party leader. Olivier Faure was quick to write on X that this platform only committed “their movement [NDLR : aux insoumis]” and not the whole of the New Popular Front. Before adding: “The response to the nomination of a [Premier ministre] which would not be in accordance with the republican tradition, is censorship.”
Once the left has been received, the afternoon will continue with the reception of the majority and the Republican Right. For the latter, which remains a supporting force with its 47 seats, the line is clear: “We do not wish to participate in a coalition.” The sentence is from Fabien Di Filippo, guest of France Info on August 16. The deputy of the 4th constituency of Moselle also took the opportunity to tackle the left, calling the NFP’s economic program “dangerous”. For him, a government headed by Lucie Castets would be immediately censored by Macron’s party, the Republican right and the National Rally.
The National Rally received on Monday
The far-right political party will be the last to make its political comeback. The Elysée will open its doors to it on Monday, August 26. The political party of Marine Le Pen and Jordan Bardella went through all the emotions during the last legislative elections. Caressing for a time the hope of an absolute majority the day after the first round, the National Rally (RN) violently came up against the Republican barrier during the second round, being relegated to only third place among the political forces in the National Assembly – with 142 seats, including Les Républicains ciottistes.
On France Info This Thursday, August 22, Philippe Ballard, deputy of Oise and spokesperson for the RN, described the meeting as a “publicity stunt” and said he did not expect “much”. But the importance of the party with the flame in the new legislature should not be underestimated. The group is “quite numerous […] to file motions of censure”, or even “to have those from other groups adopted”, warned the vice-president of the RN, Edwige Diaz, last Tuesday. Philippe Ballard agreed with the latter, assuring that the National Rally would vote for a repeal of the pension reform – even if it came from the left – because “it is in the interest of the French”. However, he also declared that any government appointed including LFI or environmentalist ministers will be subject to a motion of censure.
AFP, reporting the comments of a senior member of the Le Pen party, assures that the party will take advantage of the meeting to insist to the president on the need to use “other methods of government”, such as a referendum to break the parliamentary deadlock. “If the Assembly cannot achieve a majority, the French will be capable of it”, continues the same source.