Six weeks before the first round of legislative elections, including the official campaign opens this Saturday, the major maneuvers are under way, with a lot of uncertainty about the outcome of this “third round”. On the left as on the right, between the desire to form a common front and the desire to exist, the opposing forces are trying to negotiate.
On the left: still obstacles to overcome
Negotiations for the June 12 and 19 elections are underway, with Jean-Luc Mélenchon in a strong position thanks to its score of 22% in the first round of the presidential election. Significant obstacles remain to reach an agreement between LFI, the PS, EELV and the PCF. The Socialists have also suspended their exchanges this Friday, telling LFI to “to break up” with her “hegemonic logic” and D’“accept plurality”.
Points of tension with the PS
The leadership of the PS had nevertheless taken a step forward, earlier in the day, by accepting outline of the LFI program: increase of the Smic to 1,400 euros net per month, retirement at 60, ecological planning, repeal of the El Khomri law (reforming the labor code), Sixth Republic, for example.
From points that remain sensitivethe “disobedience to the European treaties” desired by LFI, when the PS refuses to “to endanger the construction of Europe”. Socialists are also positioning themselves for “the defense of the secular and universalist Republic” and “the need for full and complete support for the Ukrainian nation, its freedom and its sovereignty”.
Environmentalists back at the table
On the side of environmentalists, where negotiations with LFI were tense for two days, discussions resumed on Friday afternoon. Tensions that the head of EELV Julien Bayou put into perspective when he arrived in front of the headquarters of LFI: “It’s quite classic. Each negotiation obeys a rhythm seen and reviewed, first the enthusiasm of the beginnings, then the blockages”, then back to the table. On France 2, he was optimistic: “I believe that the agreement is in sight”and “why not a common 1st of May in support of the unions”Sunday.
On Wednesday, he formulated severe criticism concerning in particular the number of constituencies reserved for ecologists, or even on the question of the common banner behind which to store this union of the left, too stamped LFI for his taste. But “unofficial exchanges” have since taken place with LFI, specifies Julien Bayou to explain the evolution.
The Communists and the NPA, for whom there are still points of contention, were also to appear at LFI headquarters this Friday afternoon, said LFI deputy Eric Coquerel.
On the far right: every man for himself
On the far right, on the other hand, it will be every man for himself, at least in the first round. Marine Le Pen’s RN warned that he would present candidates in the 577 constituencies and that there would be no no alliance with Reconquest!.
No alliance in the first round
After the 41.5% collected in the presidential election, the National Rally aims “a powerful group” to the National Assembly, indicated its interim president Jordan Bardella, who castigated the “suicidal strategy” of his rival Eric Zemmour and his “inconsistency” to criticize Marine Le Pen and then to “request his help to get elected”. Marine Le Pen’s camp criticizes Eric Zemmour for his Sunday evening outing on “the eighth time defeat strikes Le Pen’s name”from father Jean-Marie to his daughter Marine.
At second roundthe RN says on the other hand “perfectly arranged” to provide support “to the patriotic candidate who would defend as much as possible the convictions which are ours”including Reconquest! candidates, said Jordan Bardella.
Possible exceptions
However, there may be rare exceptions from the first roundfor the former LR Guillaume Peltier, vice-president of the Zemmourist party and outgoing deputy (elected in 2017 under the LR label) in Loir-et-Cher, or Stanislas Rigault, president of the young people of Génération Zemmour, tempted by a legislative candidacy.
While Marine Le Pen will run for a second term in the 11th constituency of Pas-de-Calais, Eric Zemmour has indicated that his party will not present “no candidate” against her, nor against Eric Ciotti (LR) and Nicolas Dupont Aignan (Debout la France) on behalf of “national unity”.
The majority seeks to broaden its base
On the side of the majority, it is a question of surfing on the clear victory of the outgoing president. Translation: renew a large majority in the National Assembly and continue to nibble both right and left of the political spectrum. “Our will is clear: to consolidate our forces and political enlargement”launched the boss of LREM deputies Christophe Castaner on Tuesday.
All the way to the left
At the center of the system, the President of the National Assembly Richard Ferrand (LREM) is responsible forensure the balance of the majority “trimaran”, with no doubt “a central LREM/MoDem float, a left wing and a right wing”, underlines a parliamentarian. A trimaran which is obviously leaning a little too much to the right, Richard Ferrand having launched “a call to women and men on the left” to join the presidential team, in an interview with Midi Libre this Thursday.
“Social democrats, socialists, ecologists” have “their full place in our majority to bring their sensitivity, their proposals, their priorities, their concerns”said the deputy of Finistère, himself a former socialist.
The supporters of Edouard Philippe ostracized
But while the nominations of the candidates must be finalized, Horizons, the movement of former Prime Minister Edouard Philippe (ex-LR), has the impression of being sidelined and has already said “surprised” of lack of discussions with partners. While a first salvo of majority nominations should soon be unveiled, a Horizons executive pointed out on Tuesday that “the device is not fixed, not cut” between allies.
In the background, there are tensions between Edouard Philippe and Emmanuel Macron. The Head of State activates himself to poach on the right, and could directly forge pacts with deputies Les Républicains favorable to the presidential majority. A way for Emmanuel Macron to circumvent and reduce the influence of Edouard Philippe.
From voltages swept away by Richard Ferrand: “I read things about our differences which are lapping. Edouard Philippe, Jean Castex, François Bayrou, Olivier Dussopt, François Rebsamen, have committed themselves to the re-election of the President: we will carry out his project together. Here or there, there will be friction, but it will be anecdotal”.
The LRs want to remain independent but the Macronist sirens sing
Meanwhile on the right, the Republicans, weakened by their crushing defeat in the presidential election, reaffirmed their “independence” facing Emmanuel Macron that some might be tempted to join. “There is no double membership” and “we can’t be the Republicans and the presidential majority”hammered the president of the party Christian Jacob at the end of a strategic council.
But the macronie rallying rumors of elected LR, threatened with erasure after the poor result of their candidate Valérie Pécresse, are multiplying. Gérard Larcher (LR), President of the Senate who remained dominated by the right, sent a letter of congratulations to Emmanuel Macron on Monday for his re-election, said the entourage of the second character of the State.