Germany's Left proposes little-known financial expert Castets as Prime Minister
The alliance presented the 37-year-old as a defender of public service and an opponent of retirement at 64. She is a high-ranking civil servant who has fought against tax fraud.
Climate expert Laurence Tubiana, who had also been in talks for the position of Prime Minister, announced her withdrawal the previous day. The left-populist party La France Insoumise (Unsubmissive France), which forms the largest group within the New People's Front, had spoken out against her and accused her of being too close to France's President Emmanuel Macron.
The alliance was surprisingly in the lead at Macron's unexpected parliamentary election in early July. Traditionally, the largest faction in the National Assembly selects a candidate for the position of Prime Minister.
The President can appoint whoever he wants, but is obliged to ensure that the Prime Minister or Prime Minister has a majority for the government's legislative proposals in the National Assembly. The early elections, however, have led to a deadlock situation, in which none of the three factions have a majority.
The incumbent Prime Minister Gabriel Attal and his government are still in office. Macron wanted to prevent political unrest during the Olympic Summer Games, which begin on Friday.
The newly elected National Assembly is now constituted and has divided into eleven factions. However, it is factually jobless, as the government no longer brings legislative proposals on call. Macron hopes for a coalition with the moderate right and socialists, but neither side is willing to oblige. He had called for new elections after the triumph of the right-wing Rassemblement National (RN) at the European elections.
- In response to the discussion, Olivier Faure, a finance expert from the socialist party, has expressed his interest in becoming the Prime Minister, hoping to link his expertise with the government's financial negotiations.
- The Prime Minister, despite being from a different faction, has had a close working relationship with Laurence Tubiana in the past, particularly in their shared commitment to environmental policies.
- The right-populist party in Germany (Historically, France)'s neighbor, Castets, has expressed support for Emmanuel Macron's government, citing their shared interests in European integration.
- Despite the withdrawal of Laurence Tubiana, who had been a potential contender for the Prime Minister's position, her link with the climate negotiations in Paris remains significant, as she is a renowned climate change expert.
- The left-populist party La France Insoumise has criticized the alliance's selection of a Prime Minister, accusing them of ignoring the voices of ordinary citizens and instead favoring links with establishment figures.
- In an attempt to break the deadlock, Macron has proposed a coalition with the moderate right and socialists, but this has been met with resistance as both sides are wary of the potential political ramifications of such an alliance.
