It is an exit that has shaken up the political game on the left, less than twenty-four hours after the second round of the legislative elections. Monday, June 20, Jean-Luc Mélenchon proposed to the allies of La France insoumise (LFI) within the New Popular Ecological and Social Union (Nupes) to form only one parliamentary group during the next legislature. The leader of LFI called on the left-wing coalition “to remain a united alternative” in a National Assembly with a completely changed face.
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The response from Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s political partners was immediate on Monday afternoon: the respective directions of the environmentalist, socialist and communist parties opposed the idea of a single parliamentary group as an extension of Nupes. They put forward several arguments to justify their desire to retain parliamentary autonomy.
Because Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s method is criticized
First, on the form, several deputies regret the unexpected speech of Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Monday, without prior consultation of his electoral allies. “We are arriving at the National Assembly, we haven’t had time to see each other yet… It would have been wiser for our colleagues to think about the timing”regrets the ecologist Aurélien Taché, who is also not totally hostile to this proposal.
“These are discussions that we must first have within ourselves, because the logic of a coalition is that we talk to each other. This is the first mode of operation that we must have”believes for his part Jérôme Guedj, new PS deputy and faller of Minister Amélie de Montchalin in Essonne.
Because they fear diminished prerogatives
Basically, the opponents of the single group do not want to lose the advantages that exist for each parliamentary group. “Four groups in the Assembly will be stronger than one”, defends the PCF deputy André Chassaigne. With one group, “you have four times less drawing rights for inquiry commissions”warns the socialist deputy Olivier Faure on franceinfo.
“There is also less money, fewer collaborators and less speaking time.”
Olivier Faure, first secretary of the PSon franceinfo
“When there are several groups, the prerogatives can also be multiplied to request more suspensions of sessions or to hold public ballots”abounds Guillaume Tusseau, professor of public law at Sciences Po. According to him, “there may be a rationality in keeping autonomous groups in the National Assembly”as stipulated in the agreements concluded at the launch of the Nupes.
Because the presidency of the Finance Committee is not linked to the size of the group
The prestigious finance commission whets the appetites of the various opposition groups, to whom the presidency falls by right, according to the regulations of the National Assembly. One of the arguments of the supporters of a single group is based on the idea that by uniting the forces of the left, this would make it possible to secure this nomination for the Nupes, while the National Rally has 89 deputies at the Palais-Bourbon, that is 17 more than La France insoumise.
The presidency of the finance committee can return to the left, even divided into several groups, according to opponents of Jean-Luc Mélenchon’s proposal. “Concerning positions of responsibility within our Assembly, intelligent cooperation between our groups will lead to the same result as the constitution of a single group”, thus sweeps André Chassaigne from franceinfo. In fact, even though “the RN could more easily claim the presidency of the commission” faced with a divided Nupes, according to Guillaume Tusseau, this position does not necessarily go to the most numerous group, when we look at the regulations of the National Assembly.
Because a parliamentary intergroup is already on the way
The PS, EELV and PCF deputies who refuse the single group proposed by Jean-Luc Mélenchon have another argument to sweep away the accusations in disunity. “There will already be a body for dialogue between the deputies, which is called the parliamentary intergroup”assures Guillaume Garot, elected PS of Mayenne.
According to these parliamentarians, the intergroup included in the Nupes agreement will suffice to carry the common demands of this electoral alliance. “In this intergroup, there will be real bonding work that will be carried out”supports the ecologist deputy Sophie Taillé-Polian. “We must define what this intergroup will be”tempers Olivier Faure, cautious. On the left, the contours of the Nupes are still vague in the National Assembly.