Can the left put pressure on Emmanuel Macron to appoint a Prime Minister from the New Popular Front?

The letter published in the PQR by the President of the Republic asking the “political forces that recognize themselves in the republican institutions” to “build a solid majority” was variously appreciated by the political class. Some, on the left, believe that Emmanuel Macron opposes “the verdict of the ballot boxes”.

On the left, some voices are calling for pressure to be put on Emmanuel Macron to force him to appoint a Prime Minister from the New Popular Front. A response to the Head of State’s letter urging “the republican political forces” to form a “large gathering”. The Insoumis, led by Jean-Luc Mélenchon, have castigated a “coup de force”THE “Return of a monarch’s veto” opposing “at the verdict of the ballot boxes”The head of the CGT, Sophie Binet, took over by comparing Emmanuel Macron to “Louis XVI locked up in Versailles”.

The railway and energy branches of the union are calling for “gatherings in front of the prefectures and near the Assembly” Thursday, July 18, the day of the election of the new President of the Assembly, for “demand the establishment of a Popular Front government”The former deputy of the North, Adrien Quatennens, very close to Jean-Luc Mélenchon, even raised the specter of a “great popular march towards Matignon”.

This is not really conceivable. First, because these calls divide the left. They only come from its most radical fringe, and from a CGT that has moved closer to the Insoumis since Sophie Binet has been at the head of the confederation. The first victim of a march on Matignon would undoubtedly be the New Popular Front. The general secretary of the CFDT Marylise Léon, for example, judged, “it is legitimate for the bloc that comes out on top to set its conditions”, but it also incited the left “to govern, to build alliances and compromises.” In fact, it is first of all a myth, that of the “Front Popu”, the real one, that of the summer of 36 which feeds the desires of some to take to the streets. Except that at the time, it was after the large victory of the left and the nomination of Léon Blum to Matignon that the workers went on strike to force the government to implement a social program of rupture.

Other organisations are also threatening to take action, the Rural Coordination wants “bring out the pitchforks” if environmentalists or Insoumis enter the government. This organization, courted by the RN, caused incidents during the peasant movement at the beginning of 2024, in particular by violently disrupting the visit of the head of state to the agricultural show. Politicians are especially haunted by the memory of the violence of the yellow vest movement. At the time, the Insoumis had run after a mobilization that had mainly benefited the extreme right.

Since Sunday, elected officials have been repeating that Parliament has once again become the beating heart of political life. Perhaps, but on condition that they prove themselves equal to their task. Otherwise, outside, in the streets, a new outburst of anger could well overwhelm them.