The French Left To Appoint a Prime Minister to Govern Without Macron

The New Popular Front became the largest political bloc with around 182 out of 577 seats.

On Monday, Olivier Faure, the secretary of the Socialist Party (PS), announced that the New Popular Front (NFP) will nominate a candidate for prime minister to govern with its own program and not in coalition with the outgoing majority of President Emmanuel Macron.

RELATED:

France Goes to the Polls in Runoff of Snap Parliamentary Elections With High Turnout

“This week we have to be able to prepare a candidacy,” Faure said, insisting that Macron must recognize that “he has been defeated” in the legislative elections on June 30 and July 7.

In an interview with the broadcaster France Info, Faure did not mention who could be prime minister but excluded the leader of Unsubmissive France (LFI), Jean-Luc Melenchon. He also mentioned that the NFP will have to “be able to dialogue” in order to broaden its relative majority in Parliament.

In Sunday’s elections, the New Popular Front, a left-wing coalition that includes LFI, the PS, the Ecologists, and the French Communist Party (PCF), became the largest political bloc with around 182 out of 577 seats. However, it did not reach 289 seats that would have given it an absolute majority.

The bloc of parties supporting President Macron obtained 168 legislators, while Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally party secured 143 seats.

BREAKING???? France will recognise the “State of Palestine”…????????????????

pic.twitter.com/OgftNXhid9

— Pelham (@Resist_05) July 7, 2024

LFI legislator Manuel Bompard confirmed that his organization will continue discussions with other left-wing groups to propose a method for choosing a prime minister who will implement a program that respects the voters’ mandate.

When asked how they will implement that program without having a majority to pass it in Parliament, LFI deputy Bompard noted that Macron’s administration did not have an absolute majority either. “We will probably have to find majorities text by text,” Bompard said.

Marine Tondelier, the leader of the Ecologist Party, insisted that Macron should immediately call the New Popular Front to provide the name of a prime minister. Previously, however, Macron said that it would take some time to decide on the government that could be formed.

On Monday morning, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal submitted his resignation to Macron, who asked him to remain in office provisionally to ensure stability while a new government is formed.

#France | Paris unveils sculpture for the Olympic Games. pic.twitter.com/cwHj3BzyR4

— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) June 25, 2024