The union of the left (Nupes) is neck and neck with the presidential coalition Together after the first round of the legislative elections.
Nupes leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon played it rather sober this Sunday evening, notes our special correspondent at Nupes HQ, Aurelien Devernoix. Despite a score that places him neck and neck with the presidential coalition, the projections give the union of the left very far from a majority at the end of the second round, which makes his wish to become Prime Minister a little more still far away. But all the leaders of the Nupes say it, these results were still unexpected a few weeks ago. And the opportunity is great to come out of these legislative elections with a resurrected left. ” We passed a first test successfully “, declared the rebellious MEP Manon Aubry to RFI.
The Nupes claims to feel a form of concern, even panic, in the presidential ranks at the end of this slap for Emmanuel Macron, according to the words of several activists present this evening. Proof of this is the refusal of the outgoing majority to call for a vote for the left in the event of a Nupes-National Rally duel. ” A shame “, according to the communist leader Ian Brossat. For its part, LaRem affirms that it will give voting instructions ” case by case “.
But to win these legislative elections, it would take a miracle, “ a flood of voters “Wished Jean-Luc Mélenchon. ” Every vote on Sunday will count double next Sunday “Added the boss of environmentalists Julien Bayou. A new campaign therefore begins this evening with a strategy for Nupes that is taking shape: to make the second round an anti-Macron referendum and to recover a maximum of votes whatever their origin.
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For the presidential coalition, a victory without triumph
Indeed, the low range of projections on the number of Macronist deputies is below the 289 deputies necessary to have this absolute majority and therefore have free rein to govern, recalls Anthony Latier, special envoy to presidential coalition HQ. This explains tonight the lack of triumphalism of the presidential camp, and which also explains the call for mobilization for the second round, launched by Prime Minister Élisabeth Borne, who warned the French against the risk of ” political instability “.
To achieve this majority, the macronie is now banking on its voice reserves. She thinks she has more than the left already gathered for this first round. However, it will be difficult for some members of the government. Fifteen present themselves and the Minister for the Ecological Transition, Amélie de Montchalin, and the Minister for European Affairs Clément Beaune are currently in an unfavorable ballot.
For the time being, the presidential camp does not give voting instructions in the event of a duel between the union of the left and the far right. Instructions will be made on a case-by-case basis. It is finally the logical continuation of the positions taken by Emmanuel Macron this week who had sent the far left and the far right back to back.