Marine Le Pen is pressing on in the courtyard of the Elysée Palace on August 26, closely followed by Jordan Bardella. It is rare for the president of the RN group in the National Assembly and the leader of the far-right party to tread the streets of Paris in mid-August. Due to the unprecedented situation, the Front National representatives had to cut short their vacation to meet Emmanuel Macron as part of discussions related to the appointment of a future Prime Minister. Unlike at the beginning of the summer, it was without much conviction that they went, this time, to meet the head of state.
It must be said that the balance of power has changed. The disappointing results of the legislative elections in July did not allow them to become the leading political force in the Assembly, and the head of government will not come from the ranks of the Le Penists, as they had hoped. From favorites, Marine Le Pen’s troops have been demoted to observer status in the space of a summer. Worse: they are being made to understand that they are persona non grata at the negotiating table.
In a press release published on August 26, Emmanuel Macron takes stock of his consultations, assures that he will not appoint a government from the ranks of the New Popular Front, reports on the red lines and decisions of the right and the center, and completely refrains from citing the National Rally. What is the point? The far-right party, which at the beginning of the summer was still assuring that it was not in favor of censuring a government “on principle” is reviewing its positions. “Since all these people consider that 11 million voters do not exist, I do not see why we would have the slightest leniency towards anyone,” comments Louis Aliot, mayor of Perpignan and vice-president of the party. Understand: censorship at all costs?
Ever more shifting red lines
Small consolation: Marine Le Pen is nevertheless listened to by the executive. And attentively. Because with Eric Ciotti’s group of deputies, the RN elected representatives and their allies are 142. Enough to constitute a pivotal force, capable of immobilizing the legislative attempts of the majority. So we ask her: what would be the red lines for the boss of the RN deputies? Answer: “A prime minister from the ranks of La France insoumise or the ecologists”, of course… But also from the ranks of the left, period. And not only that. The Marine troops would also censure a government led by a representative of the Republicans, whoever he may be, with a special motion if it were Xavier Bertrand, whose name has been circulating in recent days. In short, Marine Le Pen’s red lines are shifting and the more time passes, the less a profile seems to be able to suit, for want of anything better, the deputy of Pas-de-Calais.
“It’s not a question of people but of programs, they now say at the RN. What could calm us down would be someone who would give us guarantees in terms of security or immigration, but that won’t happen, so no concessions.” Forced back to the margins of the political game, the Frontists now intend to play the high ground and bet on the future. “The truth is that the situation is insoluble and the country ungovernable, assures Louis Aliot. Nothing will be done and it will only strengthen our positions, our job now is to focus on the next legislative elections, where we will be winners for sure.”
In the absence of being involved in the decisions, the National Front members are therefore betting on skipping over the sequence of political uncertainty, preferring to communicate on current issues in the hope of appearing detached from “the political mess”. “If the political situation is stuck, the president will have no choice but to re-dissolve or resign,” Sébastien Chenu, the RN vice-president of the Assembly, estimated on BFMTV. The rest is a botch job that will never work. Enough of the scams and botches, now we need something concrete.” Jordan Bardella is coming to concrete things, precisely. Breaking the silence of his summer break, the RN president chose to speak out on the series of news items that have taken place in recent days, denouncing a “barbaric atmosphere” and calling for an extraordinary session “to debate a major law to boost security”. In times of uncertainty, at the National Rally, returning to basics remains a recipe that has always proven itself.
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