The French President, Emmanuel Macronon Monday ruled out appointing a prime minister from the left-wing New Popular Front (NFP) coalition, despite it being the force that won the most seats in the last legislative elections, after “verifying” that would not survive the motions of censure other groups.
“The President of the Republic has confirmed that a government based solely on the program and parties proposed by the alliance with the most deputies, the New Popular Front, would be immediately censored by all other groups represented in the National Assembly,” the Elysée Palace said in a statement, following the round of consultations between Macron and the political blocs.
The presidency stated that “institutional stability” France “advises not to retain this option” and announces that it will open, “from tomorrow”, a new cycle of dialogue with “party leaders and personalities who stand out for their experience in the service of the State”.
The message specifies that the NFP, whose representatives were the first to be received last Friday with the candidate they are proposing to head the government, Lucie Castets, “did not propose ways to cooperate with other political forces.”
“It is their responsibility to do so,” the Elysée stressed regarding the alliance made up of the Socialist Party (PS), the communists, the ecologists and the more radical La Francia Insumisa (LFI).
The sources specified that other parties, such as the blocs that make up Macronism, have “outlined paths for coalition and possible joint work between different political sensibilities.”
These matches”They are open to supporting a government led by a personality who does not come from their ranks.“, the presidency said.
In this complicated context, Macron called on “all political leaders to rise to the occasion by demonstrating a spirit of responsibility.”
“My responsibility is to ensure that the country is neither blocked nor weakened. The political parties in power must not forget the exceptional circumstances of the election of their deputies in the second round of the legislative elections. This vote obliges them,” the French president said in the message.
Even before the announcement of the presidency, the PFN had warned in a press release that it would only meet Macron again to to discuss the details of a cohabitation government led by Castets.
But the 193 seats held by the NFP and its partners are far from the absolute majority of 289 that would allow the coalition to govern alone, without the threat of a motion of censure overthrowing the corresponding executive.
Unleashing against Macron
The left’s response to Macron’s “no” was swift and involved a heated outing against the presidentto which France Insumisa (LFI) even threatened an unprecedented dismissal procedure that would be difficult to apply in practice.
The president of the LFI group in the Assembly, Mathilde Panot, confirmed on social networks that she would vote against any other Prime Minister who is not from the left. “We will not allow the popular will to be disrespected,” she declared.
The French constitution reserves the power to nominate a person to lead the government to the president, but technically the final say rests with MPs, who must give final approval. Macron has not set a specific deadline for taking that step, though all parties anticipate moves this week.
