9:02 p.m., Sunday June 9. France falls into a dizzying unknown, after the presidential announcement of the dissolution of the National Assembly. Since then, each day has its share of surprises. This Monday, June 17, the new star of Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappé, delighted the presidential majority by standing against the extremes, which worry large French companies as much as the mayor of Le Havre, Edouard Philippe. In L’Express, another former prime minister, Manuel Valls, trashes his ex-socialist comrades. Finally, in certain constituencies, the New Popular Front continues to experience its limits.
Recovery of the day: Macronie thanks Kylian Mbappé
Content creators, actors, athletes… Many have called to vote against the far right. But none has the striking power of Kylian Mbappé. A week after the announcement of the dissolution, the star striker of the Blues, who begins Euro football this Monday evening, broke the silence this Sunday during a press conference. “I hope that we will still be proud to wear this jersey on July 7” he said in Düsseldorf, claiming to be “against extremes, against ideas that divide”.
No need to cite them, Kylian Mbappé knows that the names of the National Rally and La France insoumise will be read between the lines. Enough to delight Macronie who has been surfing since last night on the call of the star of the French team to choose the camp of “reason” over that of “radicality”. Thus, the Minister of Culture Rachida Dati congratulated on Radio Sud this Monday morning “soothing and balanced remarks”. Prime Minister Gabriel Attal found that Kylian Mbappé had spoken in an “exemplary manner”.
Kylian Mbappé, a popular figure. A consensual figure. But also, a “voice that carries more than mine”, even recognized Eric Dupond-Moretti on the BFM TV set on Sunday evening. And the Minister of Justice is delighted with an initiative aimed at “mobilizing young people” at a time “when we constantly complain that young people no longer go to vote”.
The warning of the day: the PS has made “the choice of cowardice, the worst and risk”, according to Valls
The dissolution did not only trigger the recomposition of the political landscape. It also heralded the return of the socialist elephants: François Hollande, in Corrèze. Jérôme Cahuzac in Lot-et-Garonne. And Manuel Valls in L’Express. With one difference. Unlike the first two, the former head of government is one of the fiercest critics of the New Popular Front (NFP). An alliance of left-wing parties built in 72 hours on the limbo of Nupes, and which would be, according to Manuel Valls, “unnatural”
In our columns, the former Minister of the Interior trashes his former political family, accusing it of having “compromised” a second time by lending its side to La France insoumise: “The PS, ashamed, has compromised , by blending into the communitarianism of LFI to win the vote of the new wretched of the earth in separatist neighborhoods. And thus, to favor the coming to power of the extreme right.
Statement of the day: “Both extremes scare me”
As with Kylian Mbappé, the “two extremes” are giving Edouard Philippe a shock. The RN and LFI “scare me”, confided the mayor of Le Havre on the set of BFM TV. And it is both the exuberance and the shortcomings of the political projects of both camps that worry him.
Thus Edouard Philippe considers it “hallucinating” that there is “not a word about the defense […] not a word on nuclear deterrence, nor on the volume of armies nor on alliances” in the program of LFI and its allies. Opposite, the National Rally “tells us that we must leave the integrated command of NATO” , chokes the former leader of the presidential majority.
Problem is, in around sixty constituencies, the presidential majority has chosen not to nominate a candidate. But then, where to turn? Response from the boss of Horizons: for the most “Republican” and the most “Democratic”. Has the almost candidate for the 2027 presidential election forgotten that a significant margin of appreciation existed for these two terms?
Today’s alert: the concern of large companies
For a week, everyone has been using their voice to dramatize the issue of these early legislative elections, the outcome of which will be known on the evening of July 7. This Monday, it was the French Association of Private Enterprises (Afep) which took up the pen in a press release sent to AFP to warn of the “decisive” nature of this election.
Without citing any political group, the organization, which counts among its members several French flagships such as Air France-KLM, Airbus, Engie, L’Oréal, Shell, LVMH and Michelin, stands against all “temptations of international isolation and budgetary headlong flight. And to summarize: the arrival of one of the two extremes “would compromise the maintenance of employment and our social model to which we are all attached”.
Dissidences of the day:
Jérôme Guedj betrayed by his former substitute
By dissolving, Emmanuel Macron will have recorded more than one separation. After the divorce of the executive couple of Reconquête, the illegal ousting of Eric Ciotti from the Republicans, the sidelining of five LFI leaders, the PS Jérôme Guedj is challenged in his constituency of Essonne by Hella Kribi -Romdhane, who is none other than… his former substitute.
So, upon hearing the news this morning, the socialist framework split witha message on X (formerly Twitter) : “Sadness! A dissident candidacy facing me, supported by my substitute (25 years of activism together). Only reason: the refusal to understand my fight for values”. A few days earlier, Jérôme Guedj had announced that he did not intend to run under the banner of the New Popular Front, justifying this choice by his refusal to be associated with the Insoumis.
Since the announcement of the candidacy of Hella Kribi-Romdhane, member of Génération. s, several socialist voices were raised to denounce the stab dealt to the former elected official. First and foremost, the boss of the rose party, Olivier Faure, who told France Info this Monday morning that Jérôme Guedj was “the only one who can have our support”.
Concern about the inauguration of the file S Raphaël Arnault
In Vaucluse also, the NFP coalition is faltering. Faced with Raphaël Arnault, invested by La France insoumise, the left-wing local sections present a dissident candidate in Avignon. An activist, former labor inspector and humanitarian volunteer. But above all, a more consensual profile than the Lyonnais, listed as “S” in the police register listing individuals potentially dangerous to national security…
Today’s podcast:
Emmanuel Macron must already think about the scenarios that await him after July 7. But whatever the outcome of the vote, he actually has little room for maneuver. What are his options? Decryption in today’s episode of La Loupe.