Proportional representation on the roadmap of the future Prime Minister?

Emmanuel Macron promised it in 2017 but never implemented it. Many voices are once again calling for proportional representation, as a solution to the fragmentation of opinion and therefore of the Assembly.

It’s a bit of a topsy-turvy world. Originally, the majority vote – you have 50% in the second round, you’re elected – was imagined in the Fifth Republic to produce clear majorities. A single major party was enough to create a majority. A somewhat unfair system because the smaller parties had few elected representatives. Hence the idea of ​​proportional representation introduced in 1985 by François Mitterrand: result 35 FN deputies in the following election. Jacques Chirac was quick to change everything.

Today, the RN group has never been as large (126 deputies) and without proportional representation! The majority vote no longer produces the same effects because the country is divided.

Why does the idea of ​​changing the voting method resurface in this case?

Precisely because we can no longer find a majority other than a relative one, which requires abusing Article 49.3. This Assembly reflects public opinion less and less. In July, those who really did not want to have an RN MP still agreed to form a republican front and vote against their opinions, which changes the final picture.

Constitutionalist Jean-Philippe Derosier calculated what the 2022 legislative elections would have been like if the dose of proportional representation that Yael Braun Pivet wanted to introduce in the spring of 2024 had been in force. There would have been more NUPES and RN deputies: 245 in total compared to 233 Macronists. Ungovernable, but also more in line with the reality of the country. Especially since among those who are demanding proportional representation, there is also a more strategic reflection.

Why talk about strategy?

Take François Bayrou’s MoDem in particular, which is very upset about the New Popular Front agreement. What one of his advisors says is that if Emmanuel Macron, when appointing the new Prime Minister in a few days, puts proportional representation in the bride’s basket (for the following elections!), all the components of the NFP will instantly regain their freedom, no more wondering if they risk no longer having an investiture next time. This opens up new perspectives for finding coalitions text by text.

In the PS, among others, Emmanuel Grégoire is also working on the subject and sees it as an opportunity to “promote a real parliamentary culture“. Overall, the NFP is for it. The RN too, obviously.

Will Emmanuel Macron do it?

This is not going that way.”The president would be stepping out of his role if he dictated his programme to the next government.“, explains an advisor. In reality, he also sees what proportional representation has given in the European elections: Raphaël Glukcksman at 14%, on a par with Valérie Hayer. A simple law would suffice, however, and at least this one, a majority seems ready to adopt it!