the questions that remain unanswered on the left after the agreement on the “new popular front”

The leaders of the left-wing parties are continuing their discussions in view of the legislative elections of June 30 and July 7. From the common program to the distribution of candidates, many points remain to be decided.

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A reference to the victorious coalition in 1936 to win almost a century later. The main left-wing parties took action on Monday June 10 “agreement in principle” to defend an alliance in the legislative elections, under the banner of a “new popular front”. After this announcement proclaimed in front of the premises of the Ecologists in Paris, the various left-wing parties must now agree on several crucial points in view of the vote, on Sunday June 30 and July 7.

Franceinfo returns to the questions that remain to be resolved for this alliance, which comes two years after the creation of the New Popular, Ecological and Social Union (Nupes), from which the parties now want to move away to tackle this next electoral challenge.

Who will lead this union?

During a legislative campaign, it is customary for each party or coalition to announce who would be its Prime Minister in the event of victory. Designated opponent of “new popular front”, the National Rally (RN) has already put forward the name of Jordan Bardella. In 2022, even before the Nupes agreement came to fruition, Jean-Luc Mélenchon had asked his supporters to “elect him Prime Minister” during the legislative elections. The leader of La France insoumise (LFI) was then in a position of strength, after finishing the presidential election in third place, with 21.95% of the votes.

Two years later, the situation is less obvious on the left. The Socialist Party (PS), allied with Raphaël Glucksmann’s Place publique movement, finished third – and first left-wing list – during Sunday’s European elections, with 13.83% of the votes, ahead of Manon Aubry (LFI) and her 9.89%. Jean-Luc Mélenchon took a step back by becoming president of the Institut La Boétie, a think tank within the fold of LFI. The question of the political figure capable of leading the “new popular front” therefore remains whole.

Jean-Luc Mélenchon “is not consensual”estimated on LCI the outgoing environmentalist deputy from Paris, Sandrine Rousseau. “There is no logic in Jean-Luc Mélenchon being the candidate” of this alliance, also defended on TF1 Olivier Faure, the first secretary of the PS. Raphaël Glucksmann also dismissed the hypothesis of seeing the three-time presidential candidate as leader of the “new popular front”. He proposed the name of the former general secretary of the CFDT, Laurent Berger, but this option was not taken up on the left.

Several voices mentioned the name of François Ruffin, outgoing deputy (LFI) who defended the union of the left after the breakup of Nupes, in 2023, as a possible name for Matignon. The leader of the small Picardy standing movement launched the call for “popular Front” from Sunday evening, before creating a website that looks like a campaign platform. “We will have to find a figure of unity and consensus, but that is not the question of the day”however, assures Arthur Delaporte, outgoing PS deputy from Calvados.

What common program?

The left forces must also define the program they will present, which will not be exactly that of the Nupes of 2022. Their press release published Monday announces “a disruption program detailing the measures to be taken in the first 100 days” in power, to respond to “democratic, ecological and social emergencies”. The main political parties then each published a set of measures that they consider essential, most of which are similar. In a press release relayed on by their national secretary, Marine Tondelierthe Ecologists detail as follows “10 pillars”, notably “a climate plan aimed at carbon neutrality” and the struggle “against sexist and sexual violence”.

The PS, for its part, intends to guarantee “support for progress in European construction” And “unwavering support for the Ukrainian resistance” according to a communicated. The rose party is in favor of “the repeal of the pension reform”. For its part, LFI adopts a slightly different position, demanding “returning to retirement at 60” in a communicated. The movement also calls for “the cancellation of the unemployment insurance reform” And “the Sixth Republic”.

How will the candidates be distributed among the constituencies?

The document signed by the main left-wing organizations promises “unique applications” in each of the 577 constituencies. On Wednesday, the PS and LFI announced “an agreement” on a numerical distribution of constituencies: LFI will have 229 candidates, the PS 175, EELV 92 and the PCF 50, Corsica and Overseas not included, specified officials of the two parties . It remains to choose a name for each constituency. Voices are being raised for those leaving to be invested in this new union. Several of them, like the environmentalist deputy for Loire-Atlantique Julie Laernoesthe socialist deputy for Saône-et-Loire Cécile Untermaier or the LFI deputy for Seine-Saint-Denis Alexis Corbièrehave already announced their intention to run again.

Other choices will be more complex. Some activists therefore ask about X that deputies accused of violence or harassment are not reappointed. It’s the case of the outgoing environmentalist deputy from Paris Julien Bayouaccused of “psychological violence”or the rebellious deputy Adrien Quatennens, sentenced to four months in prison for domestic violence. The ecologist Sandrine Rousseau said on BFMTV to want “discuss” of the latter’s case.

The decisions of the left-wing party apparatus may not be fully respected. In 2022, when Nupes was created, several dissident candidates presented themselves. This was the case in the 15th constituency of Paris, where the socialist Lamia El Aaraje faced the LFI Danielle Simonnet in 2022. The latter won in the second round. A sign that this situation could repeat itself, the Socialists of Paris and Place publique Paris explained in a press release published Tuesday on X having engaged “a discussion with [leurs] partners”For “present candidates (…) in all Parisian constituencies”. Of the nine outgoing left-wing deputies from the capital, none are socialists.

Candidate declarations must be submitted by candidates no later than Sunday June 16 at 6 p.m.


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