President Emmanuel Macron faced a challenging situation on Tuesday as he attempted to initiate fresh talks about forming a new government in France. The political left, however, refused to participate after he dismissed their candidate for prime minister.
More than seven weeks have passed since a parliamentary election that left Macron’s allies without a clear majority, and he has yet to appoint a new prime minister to replace the current caretaker government.
The left-wing coalition, known as the New Popular Front (NFP), emerged from the election as the largest bloc but fell short of an absolute majority. In the 577-seat National Assembly, the NFP holds over 190 seats, followed by Macron’s centrist alliance with around 160 seats, and Marine Le Pen’s far-right National Rally with 140 seats.
Despite not having a majority, the NFP has insisted that Macron appoint their candidate, Lucie Castets, a 37-year-old economist with a background in left-wing activism, as prime minister. However, late Monday, Macron ruled out appointing a left-wing government, arguing that it would pose a “threat to institutional stability.”
Instead, Macron called on “all political leaders to rise to the occasion by demonstrating a spirit of responsibility.” His office stated that appointing an NFP-led government would be futile, as it would likely face an immediate no-confidence vote in parliament.
Macron urged the socialists, ecologists, and communists within the left-wing alliance to “cooperate with other political forces,” seemingly attempting to sway the more moderate members away from the more radical elements.
On Tuesday, Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure rejected Macron’s overtures, stating that he would “not be an accomplice to a parody of democracy.” Faure warned that Socialist deputies would support a no-confidence vote against any government not proposed by the NFP and accused Macron of trying to “prolong Macronism” despite losing the National Assembly election.
Faure cautioned that “French people will start to get annoyed, to say the least,” and he pledged to join street protests, echoing Communist Party leader Fabien Roussel, who also dismissed further talks with Macron and called for a “grand popular mobilization.”
Green Party leader Marine Tondelier accused Macron of “robbing the left of this election” and declared, “We won’t be part of this mess anymore.”
Lucie Castets criticized Macron, saying he was attempting to be “president, prime minister, and party leader all at once,” which she argued was “disrespectful to French voters and democracy.”
Jean-Luc Mélenchon, the founder of the left-wing LFI, even threatened to initiate impeachment proceedings against Macron.
The far-right National Rally was not invited to the talks on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, François Bayrou, a respected veteran centrist, criticized Macron for becoming entangled in negotiations with political parties, which he called “the wrong method.” He suggested that Macron should seek a candidate with experience in high office, noting, “There are people who have held the office of president, others who have held high government positions, or who have represented political movements and currents.”
Macron’s office has not provided a timeline for appointing a new prime minister, but the deadline is approaching: by October 1, a government must present a draft budget law for 2025. Macron is also scheduled to open the Paris Paralympic Games on Wednesday and is expected to visit Serbia on Thursday for an official engagement.
