France Surprisingly Turns Left: Le Pen Defeated. Now Which Government?

“We are ready, Macron must recognize defeat, he has the duty to call the New Popular Front to govern”. So Jean-Luc Melenchonafter the astonishing result that beat Marine Le Pen and led her France Insoumise – which demands a minimum wage and pensions at 60 years of age, great battles that challenged the Macron government – to obtain, with the left-wing coalition of the New Popular Front, 182 seatsbecoming the leading party. However, since 289 seats are needed to have an absolute majority, it will still have to build alliances. In the meantime, left-wing people have taken to the streets of Paris and Marseille to celebrate the result and the relief of having banished the possibility of a far-right government. Celebrations that have then also turned into clashes with the police.

Macron’s gamble, won

ensemble, President Macron’s party did not collapse as expectedrather: it follows the left with 168 seats and beats the Rassemblement National of Marine Le Pen And Jordan Bardella stop at 143 seats. An unexpected success that goes hand in hand with the choice to dissolve the National Assembly and go to elections, a move criticized by everyone starting from the day after the European elections. Macron himself claimed the decision, even after having underlined thehigh turnout at 67%, record number for a second round since 1997: “The turnout shows that the French had to express themselves.” Jacques Attali, economist, historian, essayist, former advisor to Francois Mitterrand at the Elysée, told the Press: «since a very clear anti-fascist alliance was formed between almost all the left-wing parties, given the French electoral system, it was clear that the Rassemblement could not win». In fact certifying that Macron’s “calculation” was not a “gamble”: «It is the confirmation of an anti-fascist alliance that has always existed in France, the result of an election with proportional representation could not be reproduced in legislative elections that are held with the majority system in a second round».

The disappointment of the right

On the other side, however, there is a sad atmosphere and accusations of having “sabotaged the election”, he writes The World. Bardella declared from the headquarters of Rassemblement National that «the alliance of dishonor, against nature” between the Macronians and the Lefthas caused the defeat of her party. “Unfortunately, the alliance of dishonor and the small electoral agreements between Macron and Attal with the far left deprive” voters of a Rassemblement government and “throw France into the arms of Mélenchon”. Marine Le Pen also commented on the defeat, without retreating: “The tide continues to rise, our victory is only postponed”. Rassemblement National has nevertheless increased the number of deputies in Parliament, 143 compared to the 89 of the last legislative elections in 2022 and especially to the 8 of 2017.

What kind of government could be born?

In reality, a left-wing government is not at all a given. Today, Prime Minister Attal presents his resignation to Macronand the puzzle of alliances begins. Also taking into account that 45 seats went to the right of the Republicans (without Eric Ciotti who had allied himself with Le Pen and who called the election result “a democratic ‘coup d’état'”). The Elysée has for now clarified that Macron “will wait for the new National Assembly to be structured to take the necessary decisions. The President, in his role as guarantor of the institutions, will ensure that the sovereign choice of the French is respected.». Among the hypotheses that exist, there are either a government of national union of the centre-left, with republicans, Macronians and gauche, a mirror of the pre-electoral anti-right agreements, but difficult to implement given the issues that divide these forces (let us remember that the New Popular Front wants to repeal the pension reform, a minimum wage of 1,600 euros net, a wealth tax, 100% free schooling, recognition of the State of Palestine. Ensemble wants to link pensions to inflation, wants a wage increase and a four-day work week). While the right is crying out about ungovernability, the left is divided between the most intransigent of Insoumise and the most dialoguing socialists gathered around Mélenchon’s ally in this election: Raphaël Glucksmann. “Faced with a divided National Assembly, we must behave like adults. We must talk, we must discuss, we must dialogue,” he said. “The heart of power has been transferred to the National Assembly, a change in political culture is needed”.