Election to the National Assembly - Political upheaval in Paris: Left seeks prime minister
After the defeat of Emmanuel Macron's Center-Lager in the French parliamentary elections, the current government led by Prime Minister Gabriel Attal remains in office temporarily. Attal, as announced on Sunday evening, tendered his resignation to Macron. However, to ensure the stability of the country, Macron asked Attal to continue leading the government for the time being, according to the Elysee Palace in Paris.
The new Left-Alliance in France intends to quickly determine a candidate for Attal's succession following its surprising victory in the advanced election. Leading politicians of the merger from Greens, Socialists, Communists, and the Left Party announced this in Paris. The alliance went into the advanced election without a top candidate for the position of Prime Minister and has not yet identified a favorite.
Macron can choose Premier
Politically, President Macron is obliged to appoint a Prime Minister from the largest party willing to govern. However, he is not obliged to follow the proposal of this party and can also choose another representative from the party.
The new Left-Alliance won the election unexpectedly, according to the provisional official results, surpassing Macron's Center-Lager. The Rassemblement National (RN) of Marine Le Pen came in second place. The Interior Ministry in Paris did not assign any of the elected deputies to one of the major parties.
The Left-Alliance is clear winner
Parliamentarians have until July 18 to form factions. According to the newspaper "Le Monde," the Left-Alliance New Popular Front will have 182 seats, Macron's presidential camp 168 seats, the RN and Allies 143 seats, and the moderate part of the Republicans, who have decided against cooperation with the RN, 45 seats.
Neither the Left-Alliance nor Macron's presidential camp has an absolute majority after the election results. Both blocks, as well as President Emmanuel Macron, will now focus on attempts to form alliances and win individual parliamentarians from other groups for their own camp. However, neither camp has a chance of achieving an absolute majority through this method at the moment.
The Left-Alliance intends to announce its candidate for the Prime Minister position by the end of this week. "We must be able to present a candidacy for the position of Prime Minister within a week," said Socialist Party Chief Olivier Faure to Franceinfo. It should not give the impression that the Left-Alliance is unable to govern. A decision on a Prime Minister candidate must be made by the end of this week, either by consensus or through a vote among the parties comprising the Left-Alliance.
Left Party sees Mélenchon still in the race [
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The Left Party sees Mélenchon still in the race for the Prime Minister position. According to the latest reports, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the charismatic leader of the Left-Alliance, is still a strong contender for the position. The decision on the Prime Minister candidate will likely come down to a battle between Mélenchon and other potential candidates from within the Left-Alliance. The outcome of this internal power struggle could significantly impact the direction and policies of the new government.
French Left's former party leader of the French Left Party, Mathilde Panot, told RTL that the Left Alliance will present a Prime Minister and a government this week. The controversial founder of the Left Party, Jean-Luc Mélenchon, is still in the running from Panot's perspective. Mélenchon brought victory back to the Left and made the formation of the Left Alliance before the 2022 parliamentary elections and now possible.
Green Party General Secretary Marine Tondelier advocated for a consensus on the question of the Premier in an interview with France Inter, instead of a power struggle between different parties. More important than the question of who should lead the government, she believes, is the question of what policy a future Prime Minister intends to implement.
Which way will it go?
France's divided Left had recently united for the New Popular Front. During the European elections in early June, the parties had run separately. The main dispute within the Left is about the left-wing leadership figure Mélenchon. The populist, who makes Euroskeptic statements and advocates a clear pro-Palestinian course, is heavily criticized within his own party. The alliance of the Left, Communists, Socialists, and Greens lacks clear leadership and a common program.
It remains unclear how it will continue. The Left may not be able to form a minority government on their own. The other factions could bring down such a government through a vote of no confidence. The Left could also try to obtain support from the center parties - either as a minority government with tolerance or in the form of a Grand Coalition. Given the opposing political orientations, however, it is not foreseeable whether this would succeed.
If none of the camps find a government majority, the current government could temporarily carry out administrative duties or an expert government could be appointed. France risks political standstill in such a scenario. A new dissolution of the Parliament by Macron and a new election would only be possible in July 2025.
- Macron has the political obligation to appoint a Prime Minister from the largest party willing to govern, but he is not obliged to follow their proposal completely.
- The Ministry of the Interior in Paris has not assigned any of the elected deputies to one of the major parties, including Macron's Center-Lager.
- The Left-Alliance, a coalition of Greens, Socialists, Communists, and the Left Party, unexpectedly surpassed Macron's Center-Lager in the parliamentary election.
- The Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, tendered his resignation after Emmanuel Macron's Center-Lager lost in the French parliamentary elections.
- Emmanuel Macron asked Attal to continue leading the government temporarily to ensure stability in the country.
- The Rassemblement National (RN), led by Marine Le Pen, came in second place in the parliamentary election.
- The choice for Prime Minister is crucial for both the Left-Alliance and Macron's presidential camp, as neither has an absolute majority after the election results.
- Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the charismatic leader of the Left-Alliance, is still a strong contender for the position of Prime Minister, according to recent reports.
