Macron clearly rejects government with Mélenchon
A bulwark against Le Pen's RN Party: In over 200 constituencies, candidates from the left alliance or the Macron camp are returning to increase the chances of other parties. However, a government with Melenchon as the prime minister is still off the table for Macron.
French President Emmanuel Macron has ruled out co-governing with the Left Populists after the National Assembly election. The tactical retreat of candidates from the liberal government camp does not mean "governing with the LFI" in the future, Macron stated, looking at the France Unbowed party. "That's not an option at all," he said during the possibly last cabinet meeting of his government in Paris.
Macron therefore rules out naming Jean-Luc Melenchon, the founder of France Unbowed, as prime minister after the election. Melenchon is critical of the European Union and NATO. Critics also accuse him of harboring prejudices against Jews. This was evident during the 2022 presidential elections. Melenchon even alienated politically close associates with his anti-Semitic statements.
Premier-designate Gabriel Attal confirmed the government's position in an online service X: "There is no alliance with the LFI, and there won't be one." Attal stated. By Tuesday evening, over 200 candidates from constituencies with three-cornered contests had withdrawn to narrow the chances of right-wing populist candidates. However, it cannot be ruled out how many voters will actually give their votes to the remaining counter-candidate of the right-wing National Rally (RN) party.
Bardella refuses TV debate with Greens
Macron had called for a "broad alliance" against the RN after the first round, but left open who could be part of it. The government camp is deeply hostile to the LFI party, which has been in opposition so far and now forms the largest group within the left-green electoral alliance New Popular Front. The New Popular Front had surprisingly agreed to field only one joint candidate per constituency. Economy Minister Bruno Le Maire and others had spoken out against giving any votes to the LFI, even if it could prevent the victory of an RN candidate.
Meanwhile, plans for a TV debate before the second round have fallen through, as RN party leader Jordan Bardella refused to debate with Green leader Marine Tondelier. He had explicitly demanded a debate with the populist leftist Jean-Luc Melenchon, whom he believed could serve his voters well as an adversary.
Since the New Popular Front could not agree on a figurehead, the broadcaster BFM has given up on a debate and plans instead to conduct three separate one-on-one interviews with Attal, Bardella, and Tondelier on Wednesday evening.
RN seeks alliances for majority
Despite the tactical withdrawal of over 200 candidates after the first round, the absolute majority for the RN is still a possibility, although less likely. The distribution of seats in the National Assembly will be decided in the second round on the coming Sunday. For an absolute majority, 289 of the 577 seats are required.
The Right-wing populists believe they will have at least 270 deputies, as well as additional supporters from other parties, enabling them to get a government majority. This would make France experience its fourth cohabitation, with the President and Prime Minister coming from different political camps.
- Despite Emmanuel Macron's efforts to form a broad alliance against the Right-wing Rassemblement National (RN) party, Marine Le Pen's leader, Jordan Bardella, refused a TV debate with Marine Tondelier from the Greens, instead demanding a debate with Jean-Luc Melenchon from the Left Populist France Unbowed party.
- The French President, Emmanuel Macron, has consistently ruled out the possibility of co-governing with left-wing populist Jeann-Luc Melenchon's France Unbowed party, citing their criticisms of the European Union and NATO and prejudices against Jews.
- In an attempt to increase the chances of other parties and prevent right-wing populist candidates, candidates from the left alliance and the Macron camp returned to contest in over 200 constituencies, but it remains uncertain how many voters will ultimately support the counter-candidates of the RN party during the elections.
