Macron pursues the resumption of challenging negotiations on government establishment.
Emmanuel Macron initiated a request for cooperation between the Socialists, Greens, and Communists, who are united under a left-wing alliance, with other political forces on Monday evening, as per the Élysée Palace's announcement. However, this move of Macron not forming a left-wing government led to significant backlash from the alliance representatives.
The New Popular Front (Nouveau Front Populaire, NFP), which emerged as the dominant force in the July parliamentary election, missed out on an absolute majority in the National Assembly. They expect Macron to commission their chosen candidate, Lucie Castets, as the prime minister. But the conservative, presidential, and right-wing populist factions dismiss the left-wing alliance's program as potentially harmful.
Over the past week, Macron engaged with various political parties, including a meeting with Lucie Castets at the Élysée on Friday.
However, Macron made a statement on Monday evening, asserting that National Assembly members would immediately vote against confidence in a left-wing alliance government. He justified this choice, saying it would preserve the institutional integrity of the country. Instead, he urged all political leaders to act responsibly.
This announcement elicited outrage from the left-wing alliance. Olivier Faure, the Socialist Party leader, discontinued further consultations at the Élysée and critiqued the situation as a "mockery of democracy." Marine Tondelier, Green Party leader, expressed her intentions to halt the circus, while Fabien Roussel, the Communist Party leader, vowed to maintain the left's struggle and called upon the French to mobilize. LFI announced plans for demonstrations against Macron's decision, to take place on September 7.
François Bayrou, leader of Macron's partner MoDem, criticized Macron for employing the incorrect method during the consultations. He suggested selecting a candidate with prior experience in a high-ranking position instead.
In a typical scenario, the largest group in the National Assembly would present a candidate for the prime minister position. The president has the right to appoint any individual, but he relies on the prime minister to secure a parliamentary majority for the legislative proposals presented in the National Assembly.
Macron had initially suggested a new parliamentary election following the RN's strong performance in the European election. However, the right-wing populists placed third in the early July parliamentary election, due to a strategic withdrawal of other candidates. Both the ruling camp and the left-wing alliance unexpectedly witnessed a shift in the leadership. At present, none of the three camps holds a stable majority in the National Assembly.
Since the Olympics in Paris concluded on August 11, Macron sustained his government under Prime Minister Gabriel Attal, operating on a caretaker basis. The pressing need to submit a draft budget for 2025 before October makes time a valuable resource.
Roundtable discussions about potential coalition partners and government formation became increasingly heated among political leaders, with Macron's round table with Lucie Castets on Friday being especially contentious. Despite the left-wing alliance's insistence on a round table agreement, Macron maintained his stance, stating that a roundtable government would undermine the country's institutional structure.
