why doesn’t the left nominate its candidate in Matignon for the legislative elections?

The union of the left is currently without a leader. After the agreement in principle on the creation of a “new popular front”, Monday June 10, the day after the European elections which saw the National Rally collect 31.37% of the votes, the different parties began intense negotiations in view of the early legislative elections on Sunday June 30 and July 7. With a question in the background: who will lead this electoral coalition aimed at preventing the far right from forming a government of cohabitation? In other words, who would be Prime Minister if the left won the legislative elections?

For the moment, the various negotiators assure that they will not dwell on the question of incarnation. The deadline for declarations of candidacy in the 577 constituencies being set for Sunday June 16, 6 p.m., time is running out to distribute the nominations. Thursday morning, discussions turned into a standoff between the Socialist Party on one side and La France insoumise and Les Ecologistes on the other, around this distribution. “It’s irresponsible. They don’t care about us. The question we ask them is: ‘Do they want an RN deputy or a PS deputy?'” lamented a socialist elected official at midday on Thursday, before the climate calmed down in the afternoon.

The stakes are high: the more “winnable” constituencies a party collects, the more likely it is to expand its group in the National Assembly and influence the continuation of the political recomposition. Above all, in the event of a victory in the legislative elections, the dominant group on the evening of July 7 would have control of the name of the Prime Minister. “We will stick to the formula proposed by Olivier Faure [le premier secrétaire du Parti socialiste]“insisted Jean-Luc Mélenchon on France 2.

“It is the largest parliamentary group which proposes.”

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of La France insoumise

on France 2

The alliance could therefore not nominate any personality before the evening of the second round on Sunday July 7. While awaiting the verdict of the polls, the question of “Prime minister” of the left is in everyone’s heads and in the words of a few. “I feel capable of it”thus assured Jean-Luc Mélenchon, who had clearly called on the left to send him to Matignon through Nupes in the legislative elections of June 2022. “I don’t eliminate myself but I don’t impose myself”he explained.

“In 2022, with Nupes, the left thought it had lost. It therefore had to remobilize with a figure”, recalls political scientist Rémi Lefebvre. This year, while the majority and Emmanuel Macron are politically weakened due to the European elections and the dissolution that followed the victory of the far right, “the importance of the leader is less important”he judges.

In an astonishing mimicry, François Ruffin used the same term on Thursday morning as the leader of La France insoumise to discuss his possible arrival at Matignon in the event of a victory for the left on July 7.

“I feel capable of it.”

François Ruffin, outgoing deputy for the Somme

on France Bleu

“If there is ever a consensus that should lead to a name, I am ready to take the place we want to transform people’s lives. Whatever position I can occupy, if it is at Matignon like Prime Minister, why not?he said again on France Bleu. “There are several of us. Of course, I am part of it like others”also put forward Fabien Roussel, national secretary of the French Communist Party, on RTL, about the figures capable of leading a left-wing government.

Hypotheses are rife and the various officials who speak in the media are responsible for commenting on them. The case of Jean-Luc Mélenchon is particularly discussed. The former presidential candidate is not “disqualified”assured Olivier Faure on RMC, while other executives of the Socialist Party expressed their disagreement. “Under no circumstances will Jean-Luc Mélenchon be Prime Minister”said socialist Carole Delga in a press release. “It’s unthinkable”, added Senator Rémi Féraud on Public Senate. This close friend of Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, calls Jean-Luc Mélenchon to “stay as far away as possible if we want to prevent the extreme right from winning”.

While a debate between Gabriel Attal, Jordan Bardella and Jean-Luc Mélenchon was envisaged, according to The Parisianthe leader of La France insoumise declined the invitation. “The ‘new Popular Front’ has not yet nominated its candidate [au poste de] Prime Minister. It is up to the leaders of the major parties in our coalition to go to this type of debate”he declared on the social network

More than a name, it is a profile that the left is currently trying to identify. The Prime Minister must “don’t be divisive”someone “who is capable of bringing together all this left and all these ecologists”estimated Clémentine Autain, outgoing MP for Seine-Saint-Denis, on franceinfo. “We will decide on a candidacy that achieves consensus within this diversity of the left and environmentalists”she clarified. “In view of the rally in the Popular Front, a female candidacy for the post of Prime Minister would have many advantages!” launched socialist Valérie Rabault on X.

The various leaders defend their options while remaining cautious, while the short campaign must bring together activists accustomed to fighting on the ground. We should also and above all wait, as a strategy. “We risk losing voters if we decide on a Prime Minister. It’s better not to be clear”estimates the socialist elected official cited above, who reflects already after the second round: “If we have 80 deputies [contre 31 membres et apparentés aujourd’hui], we are in a strong position to attract part of the macronie and build the project ourselves. We become central again and the Prime Minister can be Olivier Faure, Boris Vallaud or someone else.”

Behind the displayed unity of the “new Popular Front”, hegemonic desires are far from having disappeared, with Matignon now in sight.